5 agitating CUFL workers injured in police action

A police havilder was also injured at the time and angry workers set fire to a police motorbike.

Sources said hundreds of casual workers started gathering from early morning yesterday in front of the CUFL gate and staged a sit-in demanding wages, bonuses and other dues from their contractor M/S Nabi Hossain & Company, which supplies labourers on contract-basis to the CUFL.

Taking side with the contractor, the on-duty police tried to disperse the workers and at one stage charged baton on them indiscriminately, they said.

The agitating workers became furious following the police action, pelted bricks on them and set a motorbike ablaze. Police fired four blank shots at the time.

Workers Imon, Nizam and Khokan, and Havilder Abdus Sattar were slightly injured in the incident.

"We work at different CUFL projects on the basis of Tk 60 wage per day but our contractor has been depriving us of our salaries and other dues for last two months," alleged workers.

They alleged that police has picked up some workers from the scene.

An official of the CUFL said they had nothing to do with the incident. "It is a matter that lies solely between the contractor and the casual workers," he said.

Police filed a case in this connection.