At least 30 people were injured in sporadic clashes between policemen and garment workers at Kanchpur, outskirts of the capital city, suspending vehicular movements on one of the country's key highways for over three hours Sunday.

Thousands of apparel labourers, being infuriated by the strict police action, torched three shops and damaged several passing vehicles during the trouble-hours.

Witnesses said nearly 10,000 workers of Sinha Group located at Kanchpur in Narayanganj Industrial Apparel Belt were staging work abstention inside factory premise from 8:30 am to protest an attack on a trade union leader.

Adviser of the left-leaning Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendra Montu Ghosh was among the three seriously wounded in an attack launched by an unknown miscreant in the area Saturday, leading to the programme of work abstention.

At one stage of the work stoppage, the protest spread to the highly sensitive apparel zone as the disgruntled workers blockaded the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway disrupting traffic movements on the road that connects the country's eastern part with Dhaka.

The clash erupted at about 9:30 am when law enforcers, deployed to maintain peace there, forced the protestors to lift the blockade resulting in chase and counter chase.

Police fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrating labourers, who also responded to the police action through pelting brickbats and stones.

Protestors alleged that the policemen stormed into their peaceful and logical programme. "The government should immediately arrest the culprits of the attack on the trade union leaders. Otherwise, they will go for a massive protest," one of the protestors said.

He also said they set fire to the shops which were operated by the musclemen of the Sinha Group management.

They said a number of their colleagues were hurt in the police action.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonargaon police station Harun-ur-Rashid told the FE that the garment workers suddenly became unruly and started throwing brickbats at the police when they approached to clear the highway for traffic movements.

He said they lobbed tear gas canisters and fired rubber bullets to maintain law and order.

"We had done it before the violence turned severe," he added.

The road communications resumed at around 1:30 pm when additional police reached the spot and dispersed the workers.

However, the injured garment workers were taken to adjacent clinic and hospitals for treatment.

Kanchpur is home for hundreds of apparel factories which make clothing for top global retailers like Wal-mart, H & M, Carrefour and Metro.