Around 400-500 unnamed readymade garment (RMG) workers have been sued by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) over the torching of army and police vehicles during a clash in Dhaka's Kachukhet area on Thursday (31 October).
The lawsuit, filed at Kafrul Police Station on Saturday (November 1), follows a protest that escalated into violence, Deputy Commissioner Maksudur Rahman (Mirpur Zone) confirmed.
The unrest began around 9 AM when workers from Centex Fashion Limited and nearby factories gathered on the street in response to Mousumi Garments’ sudden shutdown the night before, after a series of confrontations. Police and army personnel were deployed and tensions rose as workers reportedly threw bricks and stones, prompting police to respond with baton charges. Amid the chaos, witnesses reported that workers vandalized and set two vehicles ablaze.
Fire Service official Lima Khanam confirmed that firefighters were dispatched to control the blaze but could not determine who initiated the fire. Within hours, the army regained control by sealing off the area.
Two workers were reported injured during the clash. Al Amin, 17, sustained a gunshot wound to the back while heading home and is currently undergoing surgery, with his condition listed as critical. Another worker, Jhuma Akter, 15, was struck in the leg but was discharged after initial treatment.
The origins of the dispute reportedly trace back to worker grievances at Creative Designers, where employees had demanded the resignation of a line chief whose relative allegedly assaulted a factory operator. An earlier meeting on 30 October between workers, law enforcement, and the army also ended in an altercation. The factory subsequently closed under Section 13/A of the Labour Law, implementing a “no work, no pay” policy.
The following day, workers protested again, calling for punitive action against law enforcement involved in the previous altercation.
