NARAYANGANJ:  At least 22 people were injured, four by shotgun bullet, as an agitation by garment workers for salary and eid bonus erupted into a violent clash with police at Rupganj Sunday, witnesses said.

Sources said the agitating workers of Rupashi Mairuli and Shikder Apparels of Rupganj abandoned work and blockaded the Dhaka-Sylhet highway demanding salary arrears and bonus. At one stage of the squatting, the demonstrators vandalized about a dozen vehicles.

On information, police rushed in and went on baton charge to break up the demo. “Failing in their bid, the law-enforcers fired teargas shells and then shotgun bullets to contain the unrest,” says a spot account of the melee.  

Four workers were injured in the shotgun firing, the sources said. They are Salma, Rubina, Alauddin and Akter Hossain. They were rushed to Vulta clinic.    
 
The workers retaliated by hurling brickbats at the police that left two policemen injured.

Witnesses said hundreds of vehicles halted in intolerable tailbacks on the busy highway for three hours during the labour-police rioting—the first major spell of outbreaks ahead of the eid festival.

One of the agitating workers said, "The owners did not pay us salary for the last three months. They assured us but didn’t keep their commitment."

They claimed that they wanted to talk to the owners of the garment factory, but they did not give them importance.

Azharul Islam, AGM of the Shikder Apparels factory, said, "We are trying to pay their dues. But there is a problem in drawing money from the bank for shipments complexity."

Officer-in-Charge of Rupganj thana Forkan Shikder said the situation was now under control. The injured police personnel were under treatment.      
   
Yusuf Ali, Officer-in-Charge of Sonargaon thana, informed that police reinforcements were sent to control the situation.

BDST: 1700 HRS, AUGUST 22, 2010