Staff Reporter:
Garment workers yesterday blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection in Dhaka, demanding justice for the “death” of a fellow worker.
They also continued to call for a raise in the minimum wage for garment workers. The ongoing protests disrupted traffic in the area this afternoon.
Upon hearing news of the workers’ protest, State Minister for Industries Kamal Ahmed Majumdar visited the scene in an attempt to calm the situation but failed.
Majumdar tried to speak with some of the workers, but they refused to listen to him. Instead, the work-ers began shouting slogans, leading to police presence to control the situation. Eventually, the state min-ister left the scene.
Earlier in the morning, the workers organized a protest march from Mirpur Sharey Egaro, and later re-turned to Mirpur-10. They had been in position there since before noon, blocking the road. Several hun-dred workers have joined the protest.
Assistant Commissioner Hasan Mohammad Mohtarim of Mirpur Police said that the garment workers claimed a fellow worker was killed and have filed a complaint. They have taken to the streets demanding justice, but no one has provided specific information about the location or circumstances of the alleged death, he said.
Despite blocking the road and protesting since morning, police have not taken any action against the workers, he said.
Later, the workers also organized a demonstration in front of Mirpur-11’s Purobi Cinema Hall, demand-ing an increase in minimum wage.
