Army, police to start joint operation to safeguard RMG factories

The Bangladesh Army, police and industrial police will start a joint operation at Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur areas on Monday night 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 in the afternoon at Bangladesh Secretariat.

Earlier in the day, 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 in the 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.