Army, police to start joint operation tonight to safeguard RMG factories

The Bangladesh Army, police and industrial police will start a joint operation at Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur areas tonight to safeguard the ready-made garment (RMG) industries.

Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has issued such directive.

BGMEA President Khandaker Rafiqul Islam told reporters after a meeting of the BGMEA and BKMEA with the home affairs adviser this afternoon at Bangladesh Secretariat.

Earlier today, workers seeking jobs were protesting at Ashulia by blocking the Nabinagar-Chandra and Baipail-Abdullahpur roads, demanding equal employment opportunities for men and women in RMG factories, among other demands. 

The workers gathered in front of various factories along the Dhaka EPZ and Baipail-Abdullahpur roads to begin their demonstration for employment this morning. 

At one point, the protesting workers placed barricades at various points on the Nabinagar-Chandra and Baipail-Abdullahpur roads. 

They started throwing bricks and stones at the factories, causing severe traffic congestion. A good number of factories in the area were forced to declare a holiday amid the protests.

Meanwhile, the industrial police and army members managed to clear the Baipail-Abdullahpur road of barricades.