N’GANJ: Over 50 people were injured in battles between garment workers and law-enforcers in the district Saturday in a chain reaction over the minimum wage set for them through government mediation with the owners.   

Hundreds of workers swarmed out of factories and blockaded the Dhaka-Narayanganj link road in Fatulla thana area in the morning to press their demand for Tk 5,000 as minimum wage.

Earlier, they brought out processions in Shibu market area of the district town and put barricades on the roads.

On information, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) president Selim Osman, former director GM Faruq and other leaders of the organization rushed in and talked to the workers to pacify them.

Witnesses and police said one faction of workers though accepted the assurance of the leaders but other one declined to withdraw the roadblocks. The disagreements later triggered altercation and clashes with law enforcers.    

“At one stage, police charged baton to break up the belligerent workers. The clash ensued when workers retaliated by pelting the cops with brickbats,” says a spot report.

Police fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to control the unruly workers

Among the injured, four were admitted into Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.

Traffic resumed at 12:15pm on the Dhaka-Narayanganj link road.

Fatullah Thana OC Jibon Kanti Sarker claimed the law-and-order situation was now under control. “Additional police have been deployed at different points in the area,” he said.

BDST: 1715HRS, JULY 31, 2010