The situation of the readymade garment (RMG) industrial areas of Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur was mostly normal on Thursday, as no incidents of protests, road blocking, or demonstrations were reported.
The situation is gradually returning to normal in the country's major industrial hubs after the fresh wave of protests over the last two weeks.
30 factories closed in Ashulia and Savar; 4 in Gazipur
Despite most returning to normal, according to the sources, 30 factories were closed in Ashulia and Savar, while four factories were shut in Gazipur.
Some 23 of the 30 closed factories in Savar and Ashulia were shut under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, which follows a “no work, no pay” rule.
The other seven factories reopened but had to close again when workers refused to work or started protests.
A number of well-known factories, such as AR Jeans Producer Ltd, Anjuman Design Ltd, and FGS Denim Wear Ltd, were shut down under Section 13(1).
Generation Next Fashions Ltd, Textown Ltd, and Comfit Composite Knit Ltd, among others, were opened but these factories were later closed when workers left.
Despite these closures, 93% of the 407 factories in Savar and Ashulia remained operational. In Gazipur, 99% of the 876 factories were functioning.
Nationally, 98% of factories or 2,110 out of 2,144, operated normally.
A source from the RMG sector said that most of the closed factories in the Savar and Ashulia area were Kathgara-based, where they kept shutting the factories by discussing among themselves to avoid any unwanted situation.
Some factories were closed due to financial issues
The source also said that on Thursday, there were not any cases of protests, road blocking, or demonstrations reported. The workers at the operational factories peacefully joined their workstations and worked throughout the day.
Meanwhile, some factories were closed due to financial issues or non-clearance of wages and financial matters, like Generation Next Fashions Ltd and others.
Industry insiders said that although the workers’ 18-point demands have been acknowledged, some factories have experienced disturbances due to false rumours and instigations from vested quarters.
However, the number of such incidents is small. Whenever issues arise, the joint forces promptly intervene to resolve problems and ensure factory operations continue smoothly.
The garment owners expressed concern that vested interests fuel the current unrest.
However, industry insiders said that as the time for paying wages approaches, many factories are normalizing. The actual status can be observed after the wages are paid.
What business leaders say
Talking about the salary and the current situation of the RMG sector, BGMEA Director Mohiuddin Rubel told Dhaka Tribune that the manufacturers can pay the workers only if there are orders, and they do business.
“If there is instability like this, business will decrease and the entire sector will remain unstable along with arising of various other problems,” he added.
Regarding the current situation, Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, told Dhaka Tribune that the workers were always willing to return to work.
“The solution to the crisis lay in the sincerity of the manufacturers. When they showed sincerity and accepted major demands, the workers returned to work. The key to eliminating chaos is hidden in the depth of the relationship between the workers and the manufacturers,” he added.
He also said this relationship will always be strong, and the workers will join their workstations.
Regarding the current situation, Babul Akhter, secretary general of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF), told Dhaka Tribune that they called off their protests as the manufacturers accepted their demands.
“The protesters now continuing are not associated with any federations. They are fueled by some other groups. We are constantly trying to convince workers to return to their respective workplaces.”
He also said they planned to hold factory-based tripartite meetings among factory owners, workers, and law enforcers, with the government mediating.
They will discuss specific factory-related issues and try to resolve them. If someone is found guilty—a manufacturer or worker—they will urge the government to take legal action against them, he added.
BGMEA calls for enhanced safety measures
On Monday, during a meeting with reporters, BGMEA stressed strengthening safety and security measures to keep their factory units operational amid ongoing labour unrest in Savar and Ashulia.
They also said running a factory with the threat of outsiders attacks was impossible.
The manufacturers alleged that miscreants were trying to destabilize the sector and demanded stricter actions by law enforcers to address these challenges.
They sought the cooperation of law enforcement agencies along with the Army to help mitigate the situation.