Army-police vehicle on fire: Shouldn't take Kachukhet incident lightly, Shafiqur Rahman says
If the workers have any just claims, then it is the relevant authority’s duty to resolve those on the basis of fairness, he says
There was no scope to take the issue of setting fire to army and police vehicles amid workers protests in the capital's Kachukhet lightly, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said today (31 October).
Taking to his verified Facebook page, he said the incident closely followed the incident of setting fire to an army vehicle – allegedly by supporters of the Awami League – on 10 August.
"If the workers have any just claims, then it is the relevant authority's duty to resolve those on the basis of fairness. But if the burning of army and police vehicles during protests is aimed at achieving a specific objective of destabilising the country and economy, there is no way to take it lightly," he wrote.
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An army vehicle and a police van were set on fire amid RMG workers' protest in the Kochukhet area of Mirpur, Dhaka.
Two workers – aged 15 and 17 – were also shot by police amid clashes between law enforcers, army and the protesters.
Around 9am, workers from Centex Fashion Limited and other nearby factories gathered in front of their workplaces after management of the nearby Mousumi Garments was shut down the factory the previous night following a series of altercations.
The shutdown led to a larger gathering of workers on the street.
Tensions escalated when police and army personnel arrived in the area. Workers allegedly threw bricks and stones at them. In response, police resorted to baton charges, which led to further unrest.
"At one point they [the workers] vandalised and set fire to two vehicles of police and army," said Kazi Golam Mostafa, officer-in-charge of Kafrul police station.
"In response, police and army personnel took action to disperse them," the OC added.
Speaking to The Business Standard, Centex Managing Director Jashimuddin, whose two employees were shot, said workers of Creative Designers had been demanding the resignation of a line chief.
The resignation demands came after the line chief's relative allegedly beat up a factory operator, angering workers.
Yesterday, a meeting was held between law enforcers, the army and workers.
During the meeting, an altercation broke out.
The factory was then shut after Section-13/A of the Labour Law – no work, no pay – was implemented.
Today, the workers again took to the streets demanding punishment of law enforcers who had gotten into an altercation with workers.
The Business Standard reached out to Creative Designers, but no representative was available for comments.
