The law-enforcing agencies' crackdown against unruly garment workers continued Wednesday amid warning from the unions of launching a nationwide movement to resist any such move against workers.(The Financial Express BD)

The crackdown started Tuesday following three criminal cases filed with Fatulla and Ashulia police stations against nearly 14,000 workers for vandalising factories, damaging vehicles and attacking the law-enforcers during the recent violence by thousands of garment workers over scraping the latest wage-structure.

Officer-in-charge of Fatulla model police station Jibon Kanti Sarker told the FE that they arrested five workers from Nawapara area Tuesday night, for their alleged involvement in the recent violence. The arrested were Touhidul Islam, Saiful Islam, Anisur Rahman, Shahidul Islam and Minhajul Islam.

Earlier, police arrested a top union leader Montu Ghosh who is now on police remand.

"With the latest arrest, 14 workers have so far been arrested on the same ground," the OC said, adding that the hunt against the culprits involved directly with the trouble would continue.

Besides, additional policemen have been deployed at the industrial hubs to avert further violence, he added.

A sub-inspector of Ashulia police station said they have launched drive against the workers, sued for vandalism and attacking police teams during the unrest.

The fresh arrests take place at a time when the labour unions are demanding immediate release of the detained workers and withdrawal of all charges brought against the labourers in the name of unrest.

They also warned of resorting to tougher movements across the country to compel the authorities to take necessary measures for releasing their fellow workers.

Mosharefa Mishu, chief of Garments Workers Unity Forum, said the workers might become unruly again, if the detained workers are not released soon.

"Workers cannot be suppressed through arrest and torture. Such attempt will not bear any good result to the industry and the country," she said.

Some 13 union leaders at a press conference Tuesday urged the government to lift the cases lodged against the labourers and indicated that they would launch a countrywide programme to protest any such anti-worker move.

They also urged the government to reconsider the latest wage-structure, as the proposed salary-hike would fail to upgrade the living standard of the world's lowest paid labourers.