Toufiq Sheikh, 21, was allegedly beaten while attempting to film an incident during labour unrest; police say a clash broke out between factory workers and outsiders
A 21-year-old garment worker has died after being seriously injured in an attack during ongoing wage protests in Gazipur, raising fresh concerns over violence amid labour unrest in Bangladesh’s industrial sector.
Toufiq Sheikh died at Shin Shin Japan Hospital in Uttara, Dhaka, on Tuesday morning, while undergoing treatment, family members said.
A resident of Banglabazar in Gazipur, Toufiq worked at Layla Garments. He was originally from Chhaygharia village in Kochashahar Union of Gobindaganj upazila in Gaibandha district.
According to his relatives, Toufiq had been living in the Banglabazar area and working in the garment sector for around five years.
He was injured on Monday while attempting to record an incident on his mobile phone outside Territory Garments, a factory owned by Noman Group, where tensions had erupted amid protests over wage increases.
His relatives said a group of attackers turned on him and beat him when he tried to film the incident. He sustained critical injuries and was rescued by fellow workers before being taken to hospital.
He later died while receiving treatment.
Mohammad Belayet Hossain, additional commissioner (Crime and Operations) of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, confirmed the death, saying he had received reports that a worker had died following a clash.
According to the police official, outsiders went to the factory and pressured the management to suspend operations. When the management refused, a confrontation broke out between the outsiders and factory workers, leaving one worker critically injured.
He added that no police personnel were present at the scene when the incident occurred.
The incident comes amid escalating protests by garment workers demanding an increase in the minimum monthly wage from Tk 12,500 to Tk 30,000.
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