Tension reignites in Gazipur over worker's death; police fire sound grenades

Tension flared again in Gazipur's Sreepur today (27 June) after workers gathered for a memorial programme for garment worker Liza Akhter, who died after falling ill while on duty on Wednesday night.

Industrial police fired sound grenades and carried out a baton charge to disperse crowds amid allegations that outsiders were involved in the unrest.

The incident took place in front of the Color & Co Limited factory in the Tepirbari area of the upazila during a Milad Mahfil organised in memory of Liza.

Workers and police said more than 1,000 employees of Color & Co Limited and Badar Spinning Mills, another factory under the same group, gathered at the venue from around 9am.

According to workers, a group of unidentified individuals carrying sticks joined the gathering and attempted to enter the factory premises, triggering tensions.

Industrial police responded by firing three rounds of sound grenades and carrying out a baton charge to bring the situation under control.

Workers alleged that several people were injured during the police action and that one person, identified as Al-Amin, was taken to hospital. The crowd began dispersing after 11am and the situation returned to normal by around 11:15am.

Gazipur Industrial Police-2 Superintendent of Police Md Amzad Hossain said some instability was observed after workers arrived at the venue, but it was quickly brought under control.

"To control the situation, police used sound grenades three times. The presence of outsiders at the spot is strongly suspected. The situation is now normal and police remain on alert," he said.

Workers also blamed outsiders for the unrest.

Rayhan Mahmud, a worker at Color & Co Limited, said workers from Badar Spinning Mills were attending the Milad programme when a group carrying sticks joined the gathering and tried to enter the factory.

"When police obstructed them, a clash broke out. The police then removed them from the area. Several workers were injured during the incident," he said.

Another worker, Khaleda Akhter, said workers did not want any violence or disorder.

She alleged that the vandalism carried out at several factories on Thursday was not the work of ordinary workers and claimed that outsiders were using workers as a shield to create unrest.

Notably, Liza Akhter, 36, worked as a sewing operator at Color & Co Limited. According to workers, she fell ill during her shift on Wednesday night but was not granted leave. She later died while at work.

The death triggered protests on Thursday, when a section of workers blocked roads and staged demonstrations. During the unrest, some individuals attacked several factories in the Maona Chowrasta and Keowa areas of Sreepur municipality.

Factories affected included Yasmin Textile Mills Limited, Triple Apparel Limited, MHC Apparel Private Limited and CRC Apparel.

Attackers allegedly broke factory gates, vandalised buildings, computer rooms, buses and private vehicles. Several security guards were reportedly injured while trying to stop the attacks.

Authorities of Triple Apparel, MHC Apparel and Yasmin Textile have filed three separate cases over the incidents, naming around 1,100 unidentified people as accused.

Sreepur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Shahinur Alam said three people had been arrested and sent to court.

"Most of the accused are miscreants. Although some workers are among them, they are not employees of the affected factories," he said.

He added that police are analysing CCTV footage and videos circulated on social media to identify those involved.

Attempts to contact the Color & Co factory authorities for comment were unsuccessful.