Teargas shells, sound grenades used to disperse protesters

Police fired teargas shells and used sound grenades to disperse garment factory workers who blocked Dhaka's Mirpur area this morning demanding a hike in their wages.

The workers threw brick chips targeting police, leaving four law enforcers injured, said Assistant Commissioner (Mirpur zone) Hasan Mohammad Mohtarim said.

When Kafrul police were trying to convince the workers to free the road, the workers attacked them with brick chips around 11:30am, the police officer said.

Photo courtesy: Prothom Alo

Police then started firing tear gas shells and used sound grenades to disperse the workers, he added.

There were some helmet-wearing, stick-welding outsiders among the workers, the AC said.

However, some workers claimed that Awami League activists also joined the police while dispersing them.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members were deployed there but they did not go for any action, reporters said from the spot.

Earlier around 8:30am, RMG workers blocked the main road at Mirpur-11 for the third consecutive day demanding pay hike, halting traffic movement in the area.

Photo: Shaheen Mollah

They also demanded the arrest of those who attacked protesting workers in the last two days.

Workers also threatened to vandalise vehicles trying to cross that section of the road, reports our reporter from the spot.

"We are continuing our peaceful agitation demanding a salary hike," said one of the workers. "But we were attacked. The attackers have not been arrested yet. No one values our lives," said a protesting worker said.

Another worker, also seeking anonymity, told The Daily Star, "I have been working for about 16 years. Now I get a salary of Tk 13,500. I can't run my family with this money now. The living cost is much higher than the salary can provide. After paying the house rent, there is not much left for food."

Photo: Shaheen Mollah

Another worker said, "I have to work hard at the factory. Compared to my work-load, they pay me a little. The prices of everything in the markets have gone out of my hands. All these factors left me with no choice but to fight for our rights. I need a better salary to live."