Hundreds of garment workers took to the streets in the capital's Mirpur area on Tuesday after one of their fellows was assaulted by a mid-level officer.
The agitation followed the attack as workers demanded their outstanding wages and overtime for November.
They were demonstrating inside a factory of 'Confidence' demanding their dues, according to eyewitnesses and labour leaders.
At one stage, the factory's production manager assaulted a worker.
Later, the workers came out on streets blocking traffic.
Sources said more than a dozen workers from other factories also joined in as unrest spread fast.
The situation was brought under control after police arrested the assaulter with the intervention of the local parliamentarian, Lovely Yeasmin, president of Readymade Garment Workers' Federation told the FE.
She, however, said production remained suspended in more than a dozen factories in the area as workers' did not join their respective workforce.
The incident took place at a time when production remained halted in dozens of Gazipur garment factories over wage issues.
There have been repeated calls from the government, factory owners and the labour leaders for peaceful manufacturing ahead of the general election, industry people said.
Besides, six owners closed their units on Monday as per provision 13 (1) of the labour law which provides 'no work, no pay' following abstention by workers.
Salahuddin Shapon, president of Bangladesh Biplobi Garments Sramik Federation, said no incident of unrest was recorded in garment factories in Ashulia and Savar.
But production remained halted in some factories in Gazipur following the closing of six units as workers of a few factories observed abstention, he noted.
Terming the absence of trade unionism a major problem, Mr Shapon said, "It's hard to convince the workers as they paid no heed to us for lack of leadership."
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Md Siddiqur Rahman said, "We've requested exporters to declare holiday with payment, if necessary, to steady the situation ahead of polls."
Workers of more than 50 garment factories in Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj have been demonstrating since December 09 over the new wage structure dispute.
They alleged that basic payment under a few grades would decline once the new structure is implemented.
Following abstention, the authorities of those units declared a three-day holiday on December 13, beginning from December 14.
The government and the leaders of both owners and workers urged the agitating workers on December 15 to return to work from December 17.
State minister for labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu in an emergency meeting on December 15 assured workers that the government would address inconsistencies, if any, in the recently announced pay structure.
Relevant state agencies, including the commerce ministry, are regularly holding meetings with the owners and labour leaders respectively to find ways to avert further spread of agitation ahead of polls.
Last month, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) formed a seven-member monitoring committee, led by the commerce secretary, to this end.
They have already held three meetings, sources said.
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