Production in most parts of the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) in Savar remained suspended throughout Friday as clashes between workers and police left more than 50 people injured.
The fighting broke out as police charged baton on the garment workers fuming over unconfirmed reports that one of them was killed Thursday over theft of a cell phone set. Several hundred workers of Featherlite Ltd massed at the entrance to the DEPZ Extension at around 7:00am, clamoring for recovery of the co-worker's body.
As the law enforcers prevented them from entering, they marched towards the DEPZ (old). On the way, they were joined by a huge number of fellows from the other factories. In the old DEPZ area, police clubbed them, leaving several workers injured. In response, the demonstrators went on the rampage, damaging a number of factories in and outside the exclusive industrial block. Besides, they barricaded the nearby Nabinagar-Kaliakoir Road and vandalised seven to eight vehicles, emptying traffic out of there. Chase and counter-chase went on for hours. Police used baton again injuring 40 more. Some 6 cops were also wounded.