Worker dies amid clashes in Ashulia following mass layoff

A female worker, Rokeya Akhtar, d*ied after being injured in a clash between two groups of workers in Jirabo, Ashulia. The confrontation occurred following a mass layoff at Mascot Garments Ltd. Five others were also injured in the incident. Rokeya, who had been an assistant machine operator at the factory since December 2021, was fatally injured by brickbats and declared dead at a local hospital. The clash began when workers, finding a notice of layoff at the factory, began protesting and throwing brickbats at the facility and nearby factories, including Radiance Garments and Southern Knitting. Workers from these factories retaliated, escalating the violence. The industrial police and army arrived at the scene, but the workers had already blocked the Bishmail-Jirabo road. By 11:30am, the area had calmed down, and no other factories had reported closures.