Most garment factories in the Savar and Ashulia industrial areas resumed operations on Sunday, with only 20 remaining closed.
Of these, two factories declared general holidays, while 18 have been shut under Section 13(1) of the Labour Act, according to Industrial Police-1 Superintendent Sarwar Alam on Sunday.
By noon, workers were seen attending their shifts at factories, despite the rain.
Additional security personnel, including the army, APBn, RAB, BGB, and police, have been deployed across key areas, particularly in Narsinghpur on the Bypail-Abdullahpur road, to maintain order. Law enforcement officials continue to monitor the situation to prevent further unrest.
Sarwar Alam said: “Most factories are operating today. Only 18 remain closed under Section 13(1) due to unresolved labour demands, while two others declared general holidays. There are 1,863 factories in this area, and the vast majority are functioning smoothly. Any issues are being addressed through dialogue between factory management and workers. There have been no blockades, protests, or disruptions to traffic.”
Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, also noted that the situation has calmed: “Most factories are operational today, and the overall atmosphere is stable.”
The Labour Grievance Monitoring Committee is actively visiting garment factories to address ongoing worker dissatisfaction.
On Sunday, committee members visited Anant Group’s factory in Ashulia to discuss the concerns of both management and workers.
Dr Sabur Hossain, additional secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and convener of the Labour Grievance Monitoring Committee, emphasized the government's efforts to resolve the situation: “We have created channels, such as a hotline, WhatsApp group, and email, to hear the complaints of all parties involved. We aim to address the fair and reasonable demands of workers and factory owners and relay them to the government. We are hopeful that all factories will reopen soon and that normalcy will return gradually.”
On Saturday, at least 39 factories had been declared closed indefinitely, while 13 others observed general holidays. However, efforts are underway to stabilize the situation and ensure smooth operations in the industrial zone.