Police evict protesting Tuba workers

Police have evicted Tuba Group workers from the factory where they have been on a hunger-strike for the last ten days. Police have also detained labour activists, including Garments Sramik Oikya Forum President Moshrefa Mishu and Bangladesh Trade Union Centre's Assistant General Secretary Jolly Talukder, who were with the workers at the factory. A few journalists covering the incident outside the factory have been injured when police charged batons on them. Law enforcers entered the factory premises around 1.15 pm, Thursday. They lobbed tear gas canisters and charged batons on the workers, who were protesting demanding payment of their salaries and festival allowances due since July 28. More than 200 panicking workers scurried down from the factory at the sixth floor of 'Hossain Market' in the capital's Badda area. "Police lobbed gas and charged batons on us to evict us," said Hosne Ara, an operator of Tuba-owned factory. bnews24.com correspondent Sheikh Abdullah reported from the spot that police personnel, deployed outside the factory, have also fired blank shots during the eviction drive. Police, however, refrained to comment on the eviction drive. "We will talk to you on this later," Gulshan Zone police's Assistant Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mahabub Hasan told bdnews24.com. Labour activist Moshrefu Mishu claimed that the police charged batons and lobbed tear gas shells to evict them. "We were on a peaceful movement and the police forced us to leave. We will continue the hunger strike at Shahid Minar or at some other place," she told reporters after being forced to come outside.