A 19-year-old garment worker has allegedly been tortured to death inside a factory in Gazipur’s Konabari area after being accused of theft, sparking protests and prompting the authorities to shut down the facility.
The deceased was identified as Hridoy Hossain, 19, a native of Ghatail upazila in Tangail. He had been working as a mechanic in the dyeing section of Greenland Garments, located on Kashimpur Road in Konabari.
Following the incident, the authorities shut down the factory on Monday amid protests by workers.
Meanwhile, police arrested Hasan Mahmud Mithun, a factory worker from Dhanbari upazila in Tangail, in connection with the suspected murder.
According to police and local sources, mechanics and security staff at the factory detained Hridoy on Saturday morning on suspicion of theft.
He was reportedly tied up and taken to a room inside the factory, where he was severely tortured. Hridoy later succumbed to his injuries.
Konabari Police Station officer-in-charge Salahuddin said, “Initially, we were informed that a thief had entered the factory and was injured after falling into a drain. But upon investigation and reviewing CCTV footage, it became clear that this was a premeditated murder.”
The footage obtained by police shows several individuals tying Hridoy’s hands behind his back and escorting him to a room in the early hours of Saturday.
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An ambulance arrived at the factory premises around 10:14 am on Saturday and was seen leaving at 10:21 am.
Photos and videos of Hridoy’s body show visible injuries and bruises on his knees, waist, back, wrists, elbows, fingers, neck and face.
The OC added that after his death, the factory authorities may have tried to cover up the incident by sending his body to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital as an injured person.
But, hospital records confirm that Hridoy was brought in dead.
The incident triggered outrage in the area, with workers from Greenland and nearby factories staging protests on Sunday.
Demonstrators blocked roads and demanded justice, while around 400–500 workers threw stones at the factory.
Police and army personnel were later deployed to bring the situation under control.
The factory authorities have since gone into hiding, leaving behind a closure notice posted at the main gate, declaring an indefinite shutdown.
Hridoy’s brother, Liton Mia, has filed a murder case with Konabari Police Station, accusing unidentified individuals of beating Hridoy to death and attempting to cover it up by sending his body to the hospital.
The investigation is going on to identify and apprehend others involved, the OC said.