BDR and additional police force were deployed at the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) at Savar following Wednesday's police-employee clash that left two persons dead and at least 50 others including 10 policemen injured.

Savar police said yesterday they arrested six workers of Ring Sign garments factory - a Singapore-Malaysia Joint venture — and filed two cases against them. The six are Majed. Sarwar. Salahuddln. Ashraf. Asad and Shainsul.

One case was filed under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on charges of ransacking and looting Ring Sign factory. The six were arrested in the case under PSA. Another case was filed on charges of attacking police and Ansar but none was arrested so far in this connection.

Two inquiry committees were formed so far to investigate the incident. The Home Ministry formed a one-member committee comprising an Additional District Magistrate while Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authorities (BEPZA) formed a three-member committee.

Employees of Ring Sign brought out a procession Wednesday morning protesting the sacking of about 30 employees of the factory. At one stage, they ransacked the factory. They were later Joined by employees of other factories at the

Police opened fire during the day-long Intermittent clashes with employees, resulting In the death of two persons, identified as Rafiq and Mosharraf Hossain.

The situation at the EPZ was under control and there were normal activities at all the factories except Ring Sign, police claimed last night.

The policemen Injured in clashes Included a Sub-Inspector and a Naik. Six of them were admitted to Rajarbagh Police Hospital In the city. Trie condition of Naik Alamglr, who was bullet-hit In the head, was stated to be critical till last night.

The other injured were admitted to different hospitals

At a press briefing yesterday. BEPZA announced formation of a three-member probe body to investigate the Incident at the EPZ at Savar on Wednesday.

The probe body headed by General Manager of the EPZ Syed Nafiz Uddin Ahmed has to submit its report In seven days.

General Manager of Investment Promotion. BEPZA. M Kamal Akhter addressed (he briefing on behalf of its Chairman BRIG MAB Siddique Talukder.

Akhter said that they were Informed about the movement of the employees but “any clash was beyond our expectation".

He said “We always try to ensure a congenial atmosphere at the EPZ to attract Investors but such Incidents simply destroyed our reputation among the foreign investors."

He admitted that the trouble

began with the expulsion of 33 employees. He however said certain quarter might be responsible for I he incident.

Replying to a question, he said Ring Sign factory would remain closed till the problem comes to an end. "Our Industrial Relations (JR) department is. trying to communicate with the agitating workers and hope the problem will be solved within a short time".

Akhter said Ring Sign sacked 33 employees for instigating others to Join the move-ment for raising their Incentive'. Of them. 21 left the factory after taking termination benefit two weeks ago. But the others began to agitate. "The situation went out of control as the authorities did not take the matter seriously", he said.

The number of employees at the factory is about 14. 000. including 25 foreigners. The total investment in the factory is 30 million US dollars, he added.

Some sources In the BEPZA. on condition of anonymity, said that Wednesday's incident took place only due to the "negligence" of BEPZA