A police officer was seriously injured after being allegedly attacked by a group of garment workers during an ongoing wage protest in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday, November 3.
The incident took place on Kalshi Road, near Mirpur-11 Metro Station, in front of a supermarket. The injured officer, identified as Simon, was reportedly surrounded and beaten with sticks and kicked by several protesters after becoming separated from other police personnel. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, showing several individuals attacking the officer while a few others attempt to intervene and stop the assault.
Officer Simon was subsequently taken to the Central Police Hospital in Rajarbagh for treatment. Pallabi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jalal Uddin confirmed the incident and said the injured officer was receiving medical attention.
The violence occurred amid ongoing demonstrations by garment workers demanding an increase in the minimum monthly wage to Tk 30,000. Earlier in the morning, protesters had blocked roads in the Mirpur-11 and Pallabi areas, leading to confrontations with police. Police reportedly used sound grenades and tear gas to disperse demonstrators after stones and bricks were thrown at them. Traffic gradually returned to normal in the area by the afternoon.
The physical assault of a police officer or any individual is a serious matter that society must never take lightly. Regardless of the circumstances, disagreements, grievances, or demands for justice, violence cannot be justified as a means of expressing frustration. An attack on a police officer is not merely an assault on an individual; it also undermines the rule of law and the institutions responsible for maintaining public safety. Equally, violence against an ordinary citizen threatens the fundamental right of every person to live and move without fear.
The incident highlights the growing tensions surrounding the garment workers' wage protests and raises concerns about the safety of both law enforcement personnel and demonstrators during public unrest. A society where people can be attacked for performing their duties, expressing opinions, or simply being in the wrong place is a society moving towards lawlessness. Protest is a democratic right, but violence is not. Accountability, justice, and respect for human dignity must apply to everyone, without exception.
