BanglaPress Desk: The situation in the capital’s Mirpur area has begun to return to normal following clashes between garment workers and the police. Vehicular movement on the roads is also gradually returning to its usual state. Police have detained at least four individuals in connection with the incident. Meanwhile, the Mirpur-11 Metro Rail station, which had been temporarily closed due to the unrest, has been reopened.
The clashes began around 10:00 AM on Tuesday (November 3) in the Mirpur-11 area. For about an hour, the two sides engaged in a series of confrontations and chases. The situation came under the control of law enforcement once the protesters dispersed into the surrounding side streets.
Eyewitnesses reported that garment workers had gathered on the roads in the Mirpur-11 area to demand a minimum wage of 30,000 taka. The situation escalated into a clash when the police attempted to clear the area. Protesters threw bricks and stones at the police, who responded by firing tear gas shells and sound grenades to bring the situation under control. Several individuals were detained by the police during the confrontation.
As a result of the clashes, traffic on the roads connecting Mirpur-11 to Mirpur-10 and Pallabi was temporarily halted, leading to severe traffic congestion in the surrounding areas. However, the situation began to improve after 11:30 AM, and traffic flow gradually resumed, eventually returning to complete normalcy.
Additionally, the Mirpur-11 Metro Rail station was closed at 10:22 AM as a security precaution during the clashes. It was reopened once the situation was brought fully under control. Regarding this, Mohammad Towhidul Arif, Deputy Commissioner of Police (POM-South) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), stated that miscreants have infiltrated the garment workers' protests. "Worker leaders informed us yesterday that the workers would withdraw from the protests. Those who continue to demonstrate are, in fact, not workers, but miscreants. Strict legal action will be taken against anyone who joins the protests now," he said.
Meanwhile, to prevent any untoward incidents stemming from the workers' protests, additional police forces have been deployed at various locations in Mirpur. A water cannon and two armored vehicles have been kept on standby in the Mirpur-10 area. Alongside the police, members of the Special Response Battalion (SRB) are also seen performing their duties with heightened vigilance.
Although the situation has calmed down following the cessation of clashes, law enforcement agencies remain on high alert throughout the area.
BP/TI
