Worker dies as protesters clash with law enforcers in Ashulia

 
A clash between workers and law enforcers has left one worker dead in Savar's Ashulia.

According to Savar Police Station, the incident took place at 11am on Monday in front of the Mandul Group factory in the Jirabo area of the Dhaka-Tangail Highway.

The dead worker was identified as Kausar Hossain Khan, a sewing operator for Mango Tex Limited in the Tongibari area.

Enamul Haque Mia, a doctor at the Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar said: "A worker was brought around 12:55pm. We think a bullet hit the left side of his stomach. Two others with bullet injuries have been hospitalised."

The two bullet-hit workers were identified as Rasel Mia and Nayan, workers at Natural Garments Factory in Tongibari.

At least 50 workers, including those with bullet wounds, were injured during the clashes with police. Agitated workers vandalised at least five police vehicles.

Two of the injured have been identified as Habib, a worker at the Ashulia Natural Denims factory, and Najmul Hassan, a worker at the Natural Indigo factory. The identities of the other injured have yet to be confirmed.

Workers who witnessed the incident said that the Mandul Group owners were meeting with workers' representatives and law enforcers in the morning. When they failed to reach an agreement, the workers took up positions outside.

Workers from other factories then began to gather in front of the factory as well. The law enforcers and workers then faced off and the agitated workers vandalised some RAB and police vehicles.

At one point, about 50 workers were injured when law enforcers conducted a baton charge.

The workers claim that this agitated them further and police opened fire to try and control the situation. Two people were shot at the time.

Sumon Mia, a worker at Natural Denims, said: "Everyone was at work at our factory in the morning. There were no protests. But when the Mandul Group workers began the protest in front of the factory our workers joined them in 'solidarity'. The workers from several other factories joined in as well."

"The law enforcers then began charging at us with batons. At one point they opened fire and two

people were shot in the leg. I brought the two who were injured to the hospital. Many other workers have been injured as well. They are receiving treatment at other hospitals."

Nazim Uddin, a manager at PMK Hospital, said: "Four workers with injuries have been brought to our hospital. Two of them were shot in the leg. Treatment is ongoing."

Shobuj Howlader, an official in the human resources department at the Natural Denims factory, said:

"There was no trouble at our factory. The workers had joined peacefully in the morning. Suddenly, a rumour started to spread among the workers that a worker at the Mandul Garments factory nearby had been killed. After hearing that, all the workers at the factory left and went to the Mandul Garments factory. I do not know what happened there afterwards."

Asked whether the worker who died had been killed by police gunfire, OC Jewel said:

"I do not know if they died from a bullet wound or something else."

Several attempts were made to call Md Sarowar Alam, the superintendent of police for the Industrial Police-1, for comment on the matter, but he did not pick up the phone.