Factory workers protest in Dhaka’s Kachukhet over unpaid wages, set police van on fire

A few garment factory workers held a protest in Dhaka’s Kachukhet area on Thursday (Oct 31) over unpaid wages.

The protesters reportedly set fire to an army vehicle and a police van.

Two firefighting units were deployed in the area and were working to extinguish the flames after the area turned into a battlefield. Traffic in the area was completely halted.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

According to a report by Dhaka Tribune, workers of a garment factory named Diana Garments took to the streets demanding their overdue wages along with other claims.

It was also reported that during the protest, some of the protesters threw stones and bricks at law enforcement.

Reasons Behind Protest

The protest in Dhaka's Kachukhet came just a week after several hundredprotesters besieged the presidential palace in Bangladesh’s capitalon Tuesday evening (Oct 22), demanding the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

The unrest began after the local tabloid Manabzamin published an interview with Shahabuddin, in which he said he had only heard that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had resigned but he had seen no evidence to confirm it.

In the interview, Shahabuddin mentioned his unsuccessful attempts to obtain a resignation letter from Hasina, suggesting she “may not have had the time”.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, the group that played a key role in ousting Hasina in August, held a rally inDhaka, where they announced a five-point list of demands that included the president’s resignation.

Theprotesters said Shahabuddin’s remarks created controversy over Hasina's legitimacy as the country's standing premier, which they strongly oppose.

Later that night, asprotesters marched towards the presidential residence, they were met by military barricades. They gathered outside the property and chanted slogans, calling for the president’s resignation.

(With inputs from agencies)