Police, Intelligence Officials Link Banned Awami League and Its Affiliates to Ongoing Sabotage and Unrest
Police and intelligence officials claim that leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its sister bodies are behind the sabotage and chaos in the ongoing garment workers’ movement in Dhaka, Gazipur, Tongi and other areas. Police arrested 11 people in Mirpur in the capital, and questioning brought out this information. From yesterday morning, protests, blockades and vehicle arson happened in Mirpur in the capital, Kaliakair in Gazipur, and the Savar and Ashulia industrial areas near Dhaka. Management declared a holiday at 300 factories in these areas.
Law enforcement officials say leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its sister and allied bodies have joined these violent worker protests in Dhaka and Gazipur. In Kaliakair, Gazipur, Mr. Sajmul Islam, organising secretary of the Jagannath University unit of Chhatra League, led a procession. His photo has spread on social media. Police arrested nine people of the Awami League, Sramik League and Chhatra League there.
A Detective Branch (DB) officer said the arrested people are not real garment workers. He said they came from many districts, including Barishal, Patuakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Gaibandha, and planned to create unrest while disguised as ordinary workers or from behind them. The DB arrested them yesterday for violence and arson on police vehicles in Mirpur 10 and nearby areas in the name of the garment workers’ movement. Government officials also say someone is trying to divert this fair movement of ordinary workers and create unrest in the country.
An intelligence report sent to the top level of government names the involvement of leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its sister bodies behind the unrest in the movement. The top levels of government said the Ministry of Labour and Employment has formed a new wage board to raise garment workers’ pay. They said the wage board, made up of representatives of three sides, government, owners and workers, will finalise its recommendation for a new pay structure very quickly. The Home Ministry warned that it will crack down hard on anyone who attacks state property, sets fires or disturbs public safety in the disguise of workers.
DB Mirpur Division Deputy Commissioner Mr. Mohammad Rakib Khan said police arrested 11 leaders and activists of the Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League from the spot. They are accused of attacking police and setting fire to government vehicles after the movement turned violent. He said early investigation and intelligence information show that activists of the banned party are carrying out this sabotage. He added that the arrested people are mainly not local garment factory workers.
He said they came from many districts, including Barishal, Patuakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Gaibandha, and gathered in Mirpur to commit sabotage under cover of the workers’ movement. He said the DB continues its operation to identify and arrest the other accused in this ring. An intelligence agency report says early investigation shows that Mr. Alif Molla is the main coordinator of this sabotage. He is the nephew of Mr. Ilias Molla, the runaway former Member of Parliament from Mirpur.
The report says he planned to bring activists from outside Dhaka and mix them into the movement to cause chaos. In the Gazipur and Tongi areas, several hundred activists of the banned Awami League and its sister bodies took part. The report says they entered rallies disguised as garment workers and stirred up trouble. Police operations continue to identify each of them and bring them under the law.
Because of the movement, a tense calm hangs over Mirpur, Gazipur, Tongi and many other areas. Responsible officials of law enforcement agencies say the banned organisations’ activists disguised themselves as ordinary garment workers or stayed behind them to carry out this sabotage. They said this is part of an evil and far reaching plot to spread fear among the public and create unrest in the country. Yesterday, when violence began in Mirpur under the name of the movement and people blocked the roads, ordinary people’s movement stopped completely.
Authorities had to close a key metro rail station in Mirpur for several hours to control the situation and keep passengers safe. This caused heavy traffic jams, and thousands of people suffered greatly. Mr. Rashed Khan, political assistant to the Prime Minister, made a post on his verified Facebook page on Sunday. He alleged that activists of the banned Awami League and the banned student body Chhatra League are trying to create chaos by joining the movement in the guise of garment workers. He also claimed that activists of Jamaat e Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) are inciting and provoking the workers’ movement.
