Police fire tear gas, sound grenades as garment workers block highway

Garment workers blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in the Barobari area of Gazipur for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000. Clashes broke out between the protesters and police, prompting law enforcers to fire tear gas shells and sound grenades to bring the situation under control.

The incident took place around 9:30am (4 November) in the Barobari area of Board Bazar in Gazipur metropolitan city. The blockade brought vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway to a complete halt.

According to sources, the protesting workers took to the highway around 9:30am and staged demonstrations by blocking the road. When members of law enforcement agencies arrived at the scene to disperse them, the workers threw bricks and stones at them.

At one stage, police fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control, triggering further tension in the area.

Later, the protesters attempted to attack Basan Police Station. They hurled bricks and stones into the police station premises and advanced towards it carrying sticks and other weapons. Police responded by firing tear gas shells.

A large number of law enforcement personnel were subsequently deployed in the area to maintain order.

Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Amzad Hossain said the situation had remained normal in all areas since the morning, except for an isolated incident in the Barobari area.

He added that an adequate number of law enforcement personnel had been deployed there.