Dhaka, Nov. 3 -- Police have dispersed garment workers who blocked the Baipail-Abdullahpur road in Ashulia during protests over their demand for a higher minimum wage, using tear gas shells and batons.

Workers gathered at Jamgora, Nishchintapur and several other points along the road from around 9am on Tuesday, bringing traffic to a halt.

Police moved in shortly afterwards to clear the route.

Nasima Akter, a sewing operator at Newage's Nishchintapur factory, said workers from her factory and nearby factories took to the streets before police used water cannons to spray hot water.

Police then fired tear gas and charged at the workers with batons, leaving many injured, she claimed.

Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Ba...