Most factories in the Savar and Ashulia industrial areas of Dhaka resumed operations on Wednesday, with workers returning to work peacefully.
However, at least 19 garment factories in these areas have been closed due to various demands from workers.
Among the closed factories, five have declared general holidays, while 14 have been shut down under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006.
According to sources from Ashulia Industrial Area Police-1, most of the closed factories are ready-made garment factories, with a few others from different sectors. These closures are mainly attributed to financial crises and other operational challenges.
In response, additional security forces have been deployed to maintain order, with increased surveillance in the area. Army, APBn, and police personnel have been stationed in front of several factories along the Bypail-Abdullahpur Road in Ashulia, particularly in the Narsinghpur area. Army, RAB, BGB, and police are also patrolling the streets to ensure stability.
Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Sweater Workers Trade Union, said: “Workers have been protesting in the garment sector for several days due to various reasons. After reviewing all the demands, the 18-point demand of the workers was found to be crucial. As a result, these demands were accepted in a meeting between owners, workers, and the government at the Ministry of Industries. A joint announcement was made, and the garment factories have reopened in the industrial areas today. Workers have also resumed work, and we are hopeful that normalcy will soon return to the industrial areas.”
Superintendent of Police of Industrial Police-1 Md Sarwar Alam said: “The overall situation is stable today. Fourteen factories are closed under Section 13(1) of the Labour Act, but they will be reopened soon. Additionally, five factories have been declared on general holidays, four of which are in EPZ. Most of the closures are due to financial issues.”
There are 1,863 factories under the jurisdiction of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, with the majority being garment factories.
Workers in the industrial area have been staging protests and strikes for some time, demanding better working conditions and wages. This led to several factories halting operations almost daily.
On Tuesday, garment owners, workers, and the government held a meeting at the Ministry of Labour and Employment to address the ongoing unrest.
Following the meeting, the stakeholders agreed on an 18-point demand, and it was announced that all industrial factories across the country would reopen on Wednesday.
As a result, factories in Ashulia have reopened, and workers have returned to work voluntarily.