Industrial police have recovered three objects resembling hand grenades from the Baipail-Abdullahpur road in Ashulia, amid ongoing protests and rising tensions among garment workers. At least 26 factories have been shut amid the unrest, which has also involved clashes, vandalism and injuries to police personnel and several other people.
The objects were recovered on Saturday (31 October) around midday from in front of New Age factory in the Nishchintapur area, along the Baipail-Abdullahpur road.
Confirming the recovery, Syed Faisal Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police at Industrial Police-1, said three objects resembling hand grenades had been found at the scene during the workers’ demonstrations.
He also reported that around 10 industrial police personnel were injured in clashes linked to the unrest. Several other people were also reportedly injured, although their identities and the extent of their injuries were not immediately available.
It remains unclear who brought the suspicious objects to the area or left them near the factory. Their actual nature has also not been established, and further clarification would be needed to determine whether they were explosive devices.
The unrest began early on Saturday, with workers from several garment factories in the Kathgora Bazar, Nayapara and Nishchintapur areas taking to the streets. After 8am, workers stopped production inside their factories and came out to stage demonstrations.
By midday, the protests had spread to the Nishchintapur section of the Abdullahpur-Baipail road, where workers gathered and the situation became increasingly tense.
During the demonstrations, workers from several factories, including Continental, AR Jeans and CWA, were involved in incidents of brick-throwing and vandalism. The glass windows of AR Jeans and Continental factories were particularly affected, with several panes reportedly smashed.
As tensions escalated, the authorities of the affected factories declared a general holiday in an attempt to bring the situation under control. AR Jeans also announced a closure for the day.
The disruption has affected a significant section of Ashulia’s garment industry, one of the country’s major centres of ready-made garment production. At least 26 factories are currently closed because of the ongoing labour unrest.
Among the affected establishments are AR Jeans, Continental, Naim Knitwear, New Age, Knit Asia and Sterling Creations.
The factory closures have disrupted regular production and left thousands of workers facing uncertainty over when normal operations will resume. Prolonged disruptions in industrial areas such as Ashulia can also affect supply schedules and production commitments in Bangladesh’s export-oriented garment sector.
Mohammad Mominul Islam, Superintendent of Police at Industrial Police-1, said the situation was currently under control.
However, the recovery of the three suspicious objects has added another security concern to an already tense situation. Questions remain over who left them at the site, while the reasons behind the workers’ demonstrations and the prospects for reopening the affected factories remain important issues for the authorities and factory management.
