The industrial hub of Ashulia on the outskirts of Dhaka flared up once again on Tuesday morning following fresh demonstrations by garment workers demanding an increase in their minimum wage. After a brief lull in protests, workers from several factories gathered in the Jamgara area and staged a road blockade, leading to violent clashes with law enforcement personnel. At least two workers sustained injuries during the skirmishes.

The injured individuals have been identified as Alamgir Hossain and Rafiya Begum, both employed at the Sterling Style garment factory. Following the incident, both workers were rushed to the Ashulia Women and Children Hospital. Hospital authorities claimed that initial examinations indicated the pair had suffered injuries caused by rubber bullets. Due to the severity of a head injury, Rafiya Begum was subsequently transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for specialised treatment, while Alamgir Hossain discharged himself after receiving primary care.

Law enforcement agencies have strongly refuted the hospital’s claims regarding the use of rubber bullets. Ashulia Industrial Police-1 Superintendent Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan stated that officers attempted to persuade protesting workers to clear the highway in Jamgara before demonstrators began hurling bricks and stones at the police. In response, police fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse the crowd. Superintendent Bhuiyan maintained that industrial police units do not carry or deploy rubber bullets, dismissing the claims as baseless propaganda.

Providing further context to the unrest, Khairul Mamun Mintu, Legal Affairs Secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, noted that tension had been brewing since the closure of several Newage Group factories under Section 13(1) of the Labour Act in Nishchintapur on 9 November. When workers demonstrated in front of the Newage facilities on Tuesday morning, nearby factories announced an early closure as a precautionary measure. Protesters then blocked the Baipail-Abdullahpur road, prompting police intervention. Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Tariqul Islam confirmed the injuries but suggested they were likely caused by thrown bricks or blunt objects, reiterating that no rubber bullets were fired.