Two shot at
Two army, police vehicles torched
Garment workers were locked in a clash with the members of Bangladesh Army and Police in the capital’s Kafrul and Kachukhet areas on Thursday, leaving several people injured, including two by bullets.
Witnesses said that the whole area turned into a battlefield during the clash as the garment workers ran amok and set fire to two army and police vehicles. Later, apparel workers from other factories also joined the protests.
The clash erupted at Mirpur-14 in the morning when the workers took to the streets, protesting the layoff of a factory and closure of another factory.
The bullet injured workers, identified as Al Amin Hossain, 17, and Jhuma Akhter, 15, both operators at Centex Fashions Ltd, were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for treatment.
While Jhuma received treatment for a gunshot wound to her right leg and was later discharged, Al Amin underwent surgery for a bullet wound to his back, said DMCH Police Outpost In-Charge Inspector Md Faruk.
According to witnesses, the confrontation began around 8:30am when workers took to the streets in protest. Within minutes, employees from other factories in Mirpur-14 and Kachukhet joined the demonstration. Clashes with law enforcement ensued, lasting until around 10:00 am, with tensions still high at 10:45 am.
Kabir Hossain, a colleague of the injured workers, said law enforcers opened fire during the confrontation.
Al Amin, who lives in the BRP area of Mirpur-14, was hit while he was on his way home, he said.Jhuma's elder sister, Marjina Begum, confirmed that her sister was struck in the leg.
In the course of the unrest, two vehicles belonging to police and army were vandalised and set ablaze, according to Kazi Golam Mostafa, officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station.
In response, police and army officers took action to disperse the crowd, and gunshots were reportedly heard. Videos circulating on social media showed scenes of protesters fleeing as gunfire sounded in the background.
Two firefighting units were deployed to control the blaze on the damaged vehicles, and traffic in the area was significantly disrupted.
The Mirpur Traffic Division redirected vehicles toward Bhasantek until around 11:00am, allowing only private cars on certain routes while army vehicles remained stationed in the area. By 11:00am, traffic flow had returned to normal.
