Authorities have indefinitely shut down two garment factories in Gazipur following allegations that workers refused to work despite reporting to their workplaces and vandalized factory premises amid demands for a minimum wage hike.
Workers arriving at the factories on Thursday morning found notices at the main gates announcing the closures.
The factories are MM Knitwear Ltd and Mamun Knitwear Ltd, both located in Konabari.
The management of both factories announced the closures effective Thursday.
According to a notice signed by the deputy manager of the administration and human resources department of MM Knitwear Ltd, workers stopped working after the lunch break on Tuesday (November 10), demanding an increase in the minimum wage.
Despite repeated requests, the workers remained inside the factory but refused to work without any reasonable cause, the notice said. It added that they later brought workers down from different production floors, vandalised factory property and left the premises.
The notice further stated that workers resumed their work stoppage on Wednesday morning, creating disorder inside the factory through intimidation and physical altercations.
Describing the workers' actions as an illegal strike, the notice said the management was compelled to suspend operations indefinitely from Thursday to protect factory property and ensure the safety of lives and assets amid continued labour unrest.
The closure was announced under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006. The notice said the date for resuming operations would be communicated once conditions became favourable.
Attempts to contact officials at the two factories for comment were unsuccessful.
Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Amzad Hossain said the factory authorities had declared an indefinite closure. Police have been deployed to maintain normalcy in the area.
