At least 24 cases have been filed against more than 18,000 readymade garment workers with different police stations in the capital Dhaka and its outskirts, including Ashulia and Gazipur, over demonstrations for minimum wage hike.

At least 70 workers, including five trade union leaders, have been arrested in the cases as of Friday, police officials and labor leaders said while many workers and trade unionists have left the industrial belt to avoid arrest.

Police officials said that the cases were filed by factory owners as well as the police accusing about 200 named and more than 18,000 unnamed workers of vandalism and obstruction of police personnel in the performance of duties.

On October 22, factory owners proposed Tk 10,400 as the minimum monthly wage for apparel workers to the Minimum Wage Board, up from Tk 8,000 set in 2018.

Workers took to the streets demanding a minimum wage Tk 25,000 to cope with the skyrocketing prices of the essentials and spiraling living expenses, trade union leaders said.

At least three workers were killed and scores others were injured in clashes with the police amid baton charge and firing of teargas shells and sound grenades to disperse the demonstrators.

Presently, production in more than 100 factories remained suspended on ‘no work no pay’ basis, said industrial police officials.

Bangladesh is the second largest garment exporters in the global market after China and it is the top export-oriented industry of the country which earns annually $47 billion, about 85 per cent of the total $55 billion exports in the past financial year.

There are about 4,000 factories across the country and the factories employ about 40 lakh workers.

Amid the situation, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association on Thursday asked its members to file more cases and suspending appointing new workers from now on. ‘I am spending my days several kilometres from my workplace Gazipur to avoid arrest though I am not accused in any cases,’ said a trade union leader with anonymity.

‘I am in panic as police are repeatedly raiding my area and arresting workers on allegation of vandalism. I don’t know whether I am on the list or not,’ said Azman Ali, a garment worker living in Ashulia’s Jamgora.

He said that many of his colleagues left homes and went into hiding as the factory also suspended production for an indefinite period amid unrest.

Of the cases, six were filed with the Ashulia police station in Dhaka, three with the Pallabi police station in the capital and the rest were filed with the Gazipur police.

In Gazipur, seven cases were filed with Konabari police station and four each with Kashimpur and Bason police stations since the unrest erupted.

In the past one week, 13 new cases were filed. Eleven cases were filed until November 3, said police officials adding that more cases would be filed.

Pallabi police station inspector (investigation) Mesbah Uddin said that 1,600 people were accused of vandalism in three cases filed with the police station. The police, Epyllion Garment and BRTC bus depo authority filed the three cases separately.

Six people were arrested in the cases, he said.

Ashulia police station officer-in-charge SM Kamruzzaman said that the management of six garment factories filed the six cases accusing against more than 3,000 workers.

The factories are Ssain Apparels Ltd, Next Collection Ltd, Design Sweaters Ltd, Sharmeen Group, Rose Dresses Ltd and Ethical Garment.

Konabari police station inspector (investigation) Md Mohiuddin said that out of seven cases two were filed by police for police van vandalism and obstruction of police personnel in duty while five others were filed by factory managements.

So far 50 people were arrested in the cases, he said.

Md Mosharraf, investigative officer of one of the cases filed by police against 11 people named and 7,000 unnamed people following vandalism of a police van.

Police sub-inspector Abu Sayeed filed the case.

‘Eleven people were arrested in the case. Drives to arrest other continue,’ he said.

Sub-inspector Md Kamruzzaman filed another case accusing eight named and 3,000 unnamed workers of unlawful assembly, holding demonstrations wielding machetes and obstructing the police in discharging duties.

Investigation officer of the case Md Abul Kashen said that 10 people were so far arrested in the case.

Gazipur’s Bason police officer-in-charge (investigation) Md Rafiquel Islam said that four cases were filed against more than 100 named and 1,500 unnamed people with the police station over the unrest in the past week.

‘At least 30 people were arrested in the cases so far,’ he said.

Kashimpur police station inspector (investigation) Abdullah Al Mamum said that four cases against roughly 2,000 workers and three were arrested.

Police officials said that they continued drives to arrest the accused.

Trade union leaders said that so far five unionists were arrested in Ashulia and Gazipur since the workers demonstrated for wage hike.

Bangladesh Garment Workers’ Solidarity president Taslima Akhter said that the government was conducting oppressions on RMG workers and trade unionists while the workers were continued protests for wage hike.

‘The cases have been filed to harass workers and unionists that will intensify the unrest,’ she said asking government to comply workers demand Tk 25,000 minimum wage.

She demanded unconditional release of the arrestees and compensation for the dead and injured workers.

Local trade union leaders and workers said that police were raiding different areas and arresting workers who were named in cases or as unnamed one.

Many flee the industrial areas to avoid arrest. The police arrested labour leader Mizanur Rahman at his village Pirgachha in Rangpur on Saturday.

Different trade unions and labour organisations on Friday held rallies and processions in front of the National Press Club to press their demand of Tk 25,000 as minimum wage.