At least 20 people, including five policemen, were injured as garment workers clashed with police in Ashulia of Savar on Tuesday, demanding a wage hike and the release of those arrested over previous labour demonstrations.

More than 50 garment factories in the area were closed on Tuesday following fresh protests by garment workers.

Police fired rubber bullets, tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse the workers and bring the situation under control. The protesters also threw bricks and stones at police.

A large contingent of police later dispersed the demonstrators.

Workers initially joined their respective factories at 8:00am as usual. However, around 10:00am, workers from several factories came out onto the streets in the Jamgora area, pressing for a monthly minimum wage of Tk 30,000 and other demands.

As police tried to remove them from the streets, they clashed with them, leading to chases and counter-chases that continued for nearly an hour.

Meanwhile, several factories under the New Age Group in Ashulia were declared closed indefinitely.

In the Nischintapur area, five police personnel were injured after protesters hurled bricks and stones at them. One police officer sustained a serious eye injury, said Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Tariqul Islam.

Garment workers Nasir Uddin and Rabeya Begum alleged that the government was delaying decisions on increasing workers' wages. They also claimed that the arrested workers were not being granted bail.

"We are demonstrating demanding a wage hike and the release of our arrested colleagues," they said, adding that their movement would continue until their demands were met.

Amid protests by workers of Star Link, Envoy and Sharmin Group factories, the authorities declared holidays to bring the situation under control.

The workers later took to the streets and threw bricks and stones at nearby factories, forcing workers inside those establishments to come out. As a result, around 50 factories in the surrounding areas declared a one-day general holiday.

The protesters warned that the situation could deteriorate further if their movement was obstructed.

Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of police of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, said police asked the workers to leave the streets after they attempted to create disorder.

"At one stage, the workers hurled bricks and stones at police. Police responded by firing tear gas shells and carrying out baton charges," he said.

Five police personnel were injured by bricks and stones thrown by the protesters, the SP said.

To prevent further unrest and maintain security in the industrial zone, several platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were deployed in Ashulia.