Garment worker fatally beaten over theft allegation in Gazipur

A mechanic at Greenland Garments Limited’s factory has allegedly been beaten to death over allegations of theft in Gazipur, leading to an indefinite closure of the establishment. After a video of the beating spread on Facebook, the factory authorities shut down the factory on Monday amid protests by workers. The incident occurred inside the factory located on Kashimpur Road under the jurisdicti

A mechanic at Greenland Garments Limited’s factory has allegedly been beaten to death over allegations of theft in Gazipur, leading to an indefinite closure of the establishment.

After a video of the beating spread on Facebook, the factory authorities shut down the factory on Monday amid protests by workers.

The incident occurred inside the factory located on Kashimpur Road under the jurisdiction of Konabari police station between approximately 8pm on Friday and 4:30pm on Saturday.

The incident came to light after the factory authorities reportedly attempted to conceal it initially.

The deceased, Hridoy, 19, was the son of Abul Kalam of Ghatail upazila of Tangail.

The victim’s elder brother, Liton Mia, filed a murder case at Konabari police station at around 11:30pm on Saturday against unidentified persons, accusing them of premeditated murder and disposal of the body.

Based on evidence of involvement, police arrested Hasan Mahmud Mithun, 28, on Sunday night, said Konabari police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Salah Uddin.

Hridoy died around noon, and tension erupted in the area as news of the incident spread to nearby factories, the officer said.

Around 400-500 workers took to the Tangail-Gazipur road, threw bricks and stones at the Greenland Garments factory, and blocked the road for several hours, demanding justice for their colleague Hridoy, he added.

The workers identified the body there, and police and the army arrived at the scene to bring the situation under control.

After the killing, the factory authorities posted a notice on the main gate declaring an indefinite closure and then fled.

What happened?
In a one-minute and 16-second video of the beating, Hridoy is seen tied with rope to the window of a factory room, sitting shirtless on a sofa and writhing in pain.

At one point, blood is seen coming out of his mouth and nose, and bloodstains are visible on his jeans.

In the video, nearby people are heard saying: “Even after so much beating, still nothing happened; he did not die.”

Following his death, multiple photos and videos showed bloody and dark bruises on Hridoy’s knees, waist, back, wrists, elbows, fingernails, neck, and face, revealing the extent of the torture.

Another part of a video clip shows several people dragging Hridoy out of the room, whose hands and feet were bound with rope, with one person holding a wooden stick.

Later, he was taken to the hospital, where it was confirmed that he had been brought in dead.

After hearing an account from locals, police raided the factory and seized CCTV footage and other evidence.

The officer further said the footage showed Hridoy being tortured inside the factory after 2am on Saturday, and they suspect he died that same night.

Local protests erupted once the incident became known, as people suspected the factory tried to disguise his death as an injury by taking him to the hospital, where he was recorded as dead on arrival, the OC said.

After reviewing the footage, police identified the accused and immediately arrested one suspect, while multiple police teams continue conducting raids to apprehend others involved.

According to the complaint, the plaintiff said Hridoy lived with his mother and sister in a rented house owned by Miraj in the Harinachala Esrarnagar Housing area and worked as a mechanical technician at Greenland Garments Limited.

Hridoy's mother called at 4:30pm on Saturday to report that Hridoy had left home for duty around 8pm on Friday after dinner and had not returned since completing his shift.