After a break of several days, including government holidays, workers took to the streets in the Jamgora area on Tuesday, blocking roads and staging demonstrations over their outstanding wage demands. Police initially attempted to persuade the protesters to withdraw from the road peacefully. However, the situation deteriorated after demonstrators allegedly began throwing bricks and stones at law enforcement personnel.
Police then chased the protesters and fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse the crowd, triggering clashes and a series of chases between the two sides.
According to sources, workers across the industrial zone reported to their respective factories at the scheduled time in the morning. However, employees at several factories continued their protests by observing work stoppages, despite entering their workplaces.
At around 10.30am, workers gathered in the Jamgora area along the Baipail-Abdullahpur road and blocked the thoroughfare, bringing traffic movement to a halt. Police personnel arrived at the scene and initially tried to convince the demonstrators to clear the road. The situation escalated when protesters allegedly threw bricks and stones towards the police, prompting officers to respond with tear gas and sound grenades.
At least two garment workers were injured during the confrontation. They have been identified as Alamgir Hossain and Rafia Begum, both reportedly employed at Sterling Style, a garment factory in the area.
Harun Or Rashid, operations manager of Ashulia Women and Children Hospital, confirmed that two garment workers had sought treatment at the facility with injuries described as rubber bullet-related.
“Two garment workers came to our hospital seeking treatment for injuries consistent with rubber bullet wounds. Rafia Begum sustained an injury to her head and was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for further treatment. Alamgir received initial medical care and subsequently left the hospital,” he said.
However, although the hospital described the injuries as rubber bullet-related, it could not immediately be independently established whether police had actually fired rubber bullets during the incident. The precise circumstances surrounding the injuries therefore remain unclear.
Attempts to obtain comments from officials of the industrial police were unsuccessful, as no official response was available at the time of reporting.
Meanwhile, security measures have been strengthened across the Ashulia industrial belt to prevent further escalation. Additional police personnel and several platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed at factory entrances and key locations throughout the area. The deployment is intended to maintain security and prevent further incidents amid continuing labour unrest.
The renewed demonstrations have also disrupted factory operations. Against the backdrop of the ongoing labour unrest, the authorities of New Age Group have announced the indefinite closure of all their factories in Ashulia from 10 November 2026.
The closure notice reportedly cites Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, as the legal basis for the decision. The provision concerns the closure of an establishment in circumstances involving an illegal strike or related industrial disputes, subject to the applicable legal requirements.
The latest confrontation highlights the continuing tensions over minimum wage demands in one of Bangladesh’s major garment manufacturing hubs. Ashulia is a significant centre of the country’s ready-made garment industry, employing a large workforce across numerous factories.
Prolonged unrest in the area can affect production schedules, workers’ livelihoods and supply-chain commitments. With additional security forces deployed and some factories suspending operations indefinitely, the situation remains a concern for workers, factory management and the wider garment industry.
The immediate challenge will be to restore normal operations while addressing workers’ wage concerns and preventing further confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement agencies.
