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1 killed, 40 hurt in RMG factory clash

A Correspondent, Gazipur
At least one person was killed and 40 others were injured, five of them critically, in a series of clashes between the workers of a sweater factory and outsiders in Gilarchala area of Sreepur upazila yesterday.
The deceased was identified as Saiful Islam, 28, a shop owner of the area.
Sources said the terminated workers of Pandora Sweaters went to the factory gate around 9:00am demanding their arrears and reinstatement in jobs. At one stage, local musclemen hired allegedly by the factory owners attacked them, ensuing the clash.
The clash spread inside and outside the factory as a group of local people and the workers inside the factory joined hands with the terminated workers, sources said.
Saiful who was beaten by agitating workers during the clash was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries at about 2.15pm.
Meanwhile, angry workers put up barricade on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway beside the factory around 10:00am, disrupting traffic movement on the route.
The authorities announced Pandora Sweaters closed at 11:00am and members of law enforcement agency took control
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of the factory by driving away the officials, workers and others.
Police later cleared the highway by charging batons and firing teargas canisters on several hundred stick-wielding workers of the factory.
Sreepur Thana Officer-in-Charge SM Monzur Quader said police fired four to five rounds of teargas canister and resorted to baton charge to bring the situation under control. The workers also threw brickbats at police and vehicles passing through the area, he added.
The agitating workers claimed that 25 fellow workers were injured in teargas and baton charge.
In the afternoon, another group of people conducted a house-to-house search in the neighbouring area and beat up the workers of the factory. Some miscreants also looted houses of the workers during themelee.
Jubo League leader of local Beltoli village Kabir Hossain, 38, and Pandora Sweaters worker Shohag. 20, received serious injuries and they were sent to DMCH. Injured Rubel, 25, Kenu, 27, Kalam, 29, Sayeed, 32, and Atique were admitted to different hospitals
in Dhaka.
Besides, Anis, 32, Azizul, 28, Mahmuda, 22, Ruma, 21, Rial, 24, Mohammad Ali, 23, Masum, 19, Hamida, 25, and Altaf, 28, were taken to Sreepur upazila health complex for treatment.
Sources said five of the injured were in a critical condition.
When the death news of Saiful spread businessmen and common people of the area became agitated and brought out a protest procession at Masterbari Bazar. They also held a rally there.
Agitating workers, local people and police sources said workers unrest was going on at the factory for over a month. The crisis intensified when factory authorities on February 6 terminated jobs of 137 workers showing different reasons and closed the factory.
The factory opened on February 28 after remaining closed for 22 days but the crisis persisted.
Local businessmen and other people blamed factory owners and a section of local politicians for the incident.
Police arrested four workers who were undergoing treatment at Sreepur thana health complex.