Angry workers set two garment factories afire; several injured

Dhaka, May 22 (UNI) Angry industrial workers in Bangladesh today went on rampage, setting two garment factories afire and damaging several vehicles, demanding better wages and other job facilities.

Witnesses said at least 100 people, including policemen and Ansar personnel, were injured as the workers Dhaka EPZ area went on attack that led to firing by Ansar to control the mob.

Earlier, police charged batons to disperse the unruly workers, who ransacked 30-40 vehicles of garment factories in the export-processing zone and passing vehicles on the nearby highway.

Fire-brigade sources said the workers set fire to Banddu Design Ltd factory near Fantasy Kingdom and A-1 garment factory inside the EPZ, about 30 km from here, causing colossal damage to the export industries.

The workers of Universe Knitting Factory had been agitating to press their various demands, including Friday holiday, wage-hike and other facilities, for last one month.

Police sources said negotiation between management and Universe workers was under way in the morning.

''All on a sudden, a worker from nearby Banddu Design came and shouted that he was physically assaulted in the Banddu Design Ltd,'' says a firsthand account of how the outbreak was triggered.

As the news spread fast, hundreds of workers of the Universe Factory came out onto the street and attacked the Banddu Design factory. At one stage, they went on the rampage and set fire to the factory.

Workers from nearby garment factories joined the agitating workers and put barricades on Ashulia-Tongi Road, which forced hundreds of vehicles on the busy route to halt in long queues.

Later, the frenzied demonstrators made a foray into the EPZ where on-duty Ansar tried to resist them. ''At one stage, Ansar men opened fire that only added fuel to the flames and the agitators got more violent and ransacked and set fire to A-1 garment factory,'' a police officer said.

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