At least four female workers sustained bullet wounds when workers of different readymade garment (RMG) factories locked in a fierce clash with the law-enforcers in Ashulia Industrial zone on Wednesday.
Those female workers were injured by splinters when as police fired rubber bullets, lobbed-up fire teargas canisters and sound grenades to disperse the clashing RMG workers.
Witnesses and police said the clash erupted at around 11:00am when workers from different factories took to the streets at Narsinghpur and put blockades on Dhaka-Aricha Highway causing severe traffic jam.
Workers from different factories, including Generation Next Fashions Ltd took part in the demonstrations demanding their due salaries and allowances.
The workers had been protesting with their demands since last several days while unrest in the RMG sector continued since last two months.
According to the police, the workers gathered in Narsinghpur and started pelting bricks at various factories located there. At one stage, they locked in clashes with the police.
Later, the police retaliated with batons and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Witnesses said, police hurled sound grenades and tear shells, leaving four injured.
Ashulia Women and Children Hospital's Assistant Manager Asaf-ud-Daula Rizvi said four injured workers were admitted to the hospital and claimed three of them sported ‘bullet’ wounds, although those hadn't been fully examined yet.
They are Halima Khatun, Babita Akhtar, Morsheda Khatun and Champa Khatun.
Among them, Halima reportedly works at Susuka Garments, and the rest at Generation Next Fashion.
Superintendent of Industrial Police-1 Md Sarwar Alam, however, denied the incident of firing on workers.
"When the workers started pelting bricks at the police, they were dispersed by hurling sound grenades and shooting teargas shells," he told The Business Standard.
"What could have happened is a sound grenade landed on a piece of brick somewhere and the splinters struck the protesters. Certainly the police did not fire any shots," added the police official.
Md Shamim, a worker of Generation Next Fashion Limited, claimed at least 40 to 50 workers have been injured.
"The workers first took a position in front of the factory this morning. From there, we peacefully marched towards Narsinghpur. Other workers from nearby factories also joined us. When we reached Banglabazar, the police fired rubber bullets at us, hurled tear shells and sound grenades, dispersing the crowd. Some of our workers were even shot," he claimed.
