30 injured as workers clash with locals in Ashulia; several factories closed

Amid the ongoing unrest in Ashulia, a clash broke out today (5 September) between protesting garment workers and a group of outsiders, resulting in injuries to at least 30 people, including industrial policemen.

As the situation escalated, around 129 factories in the area announced closure after lunch break, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

Mirazul Islam, the on-duty doctor at the Women and Children's Hospital, informed the media that they treated at least 30 people, most of whom came with hand and head injuries, and fractures. 

According to locals, a group of around 50 to 60 individuals, armed with sticks, seized control of several factories in the Narsinghpur area of Ashulia early in the morning. In response, some factory workers also took to the streets to protect their workplaces from these outsiders. 

As tensions grew, both the workers and the outsiders clashed while presenting various demands, leading to chases and confrontations between the two sides.

An injured worker from Ananta Garments told TBS, "We entered the factory in the morning but refused to work, choosing instead to sit down and demand our rights. Despite assurances from management, we decided to leave around 9:45am. While heading home, a group of 50 to 60 people suddenly attacked us with sticks, injuring several of our colleagues."

Another worker, from New Age Garments in the Narsinghpur area, said although the workers entered the factory in the morning, they left shortly after, declaring they would not work until their demands were met. The factory management eventually declared a holiday.

At around noon, a security guard named Rashedul was injured in a clash with workers from Sharmin Group. He was taken to the Women and Children Hospital in Ashulia for treatment.

Earlier in the morning, some officers of the industrial police were also injured by bricks thrown by the protesting workers. The identities of the injured have not yet been disclosed.

Meanwhile, local residents in the Narsinghpur area caught two individuals for allegedly causing disorder and handed them over to the police, said Superintendent of Police Mohammad Sarwar Alam of Industrial Police-1.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Hil Rakib, senior vice president of BGMEA, said they held an emergency board meeting in the afternoon to decide on the next steps to address the escalating situation. He noted that the situation worsened today as factory workers joined forces with outside instigators. 

Rakib said that while factory owners are committed to keeping their factories open, safety and security remain major concerns. "If factories remain operational, workers and protesters threaten to set them on fire; if they close, there is a risk of looting."

He mentioned that the BGMEA board is trying to meet with the chief adviser, other advisers, and the heads of all law enforcement agencies to devise a strategy. He warned that if factories are shut down, the protests could spread nationwide.

The BGMEA board also met with factory owners in the Ashulia area later in the day. Rakib noted that while some owners wanted to implement a "no work, no pay" policy, the BGMEA rejected the idea, fearing it would mean conceding to the instigators.