DHAKA – Mirpur-10 turned into a scene of violent clashes on Sunday as garment workers blocked major roads demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, triggering confrontations with police and severe traffic disruption across the capital.
Police used tear gas, sound grenades and water cannons to disperse the protesters after efforts to persuade them to clear the roads failed. Workers responded by throwing bricks and stones at police and vandalising a police box in the area.
The workers began blocking roads in Mirpur early Sunday, the first working day of the week, causing significant suffering for commuters and office-goers.
Police reportedly attempted to convince the protesters to leave the roads until around 11am. When negotiations failed, law enforcement launched an operation at approximately 11:20am to clear the streets.
Chases and counter-chases between police and workers continued as officers attempted to disperse the demonstrators. Workers were seen taking positions along roads connecting Mirpur-10 to Mirpur-14 and Pallabi.
An on-duty officer at Mirpur Police Station, Sub-Inspector Hafizul Islam, said police were working to remove the workers from the roads and restore normal traffic movement.
The unrest has brought traffic movement in several parts of the capital to a standstill, leaving commuters stranded and disrupting regular movement in the Mirpur area.
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