Two hundred nineteen garment factories in the Savar and Ashulia industrial zone near Dhaka remained closed on Thursday due to ongoing protests and unresolved demands from workers.
Out of these, 133 factories had declared a general holiday, while 86 were closed under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, Superintendent of Industrial Police-1 Sarwar Alam confirmed.
Earlier in the morning, workers reported to their factories as usual. However, as the day progressed, some workers halted operations to press home their demands, prompting factory authorities to declare a general holiday. News of this spread quickly, leading other factories to follow suit.
Sarwar said no untoward incidents had been reported in the industrial zone as of 1pm, and most factories were operating as normal.
He added that discussions were ongoing on how to address the demands and disputes.
Security forces have heightened their presence in areas affected by protests. The army, APBn and police personnel are stationed near various factories, and joint patrols by the army, RAB, BGB and police are also ongoing.
Major Jalis Mahmud Khan, commander of RAB-4’s CPC-2, said the elite police unit was patrolling the entire Ashulia industrial area, from Ashulia to Zirani Bazar and Dhaka EPZ.
“Fourteen patrol teams and four APCs are deployed. The situation has remained calm so far."
Meanwhile, Khayrul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Sweater Workers Trade Union Centre, said shutting down factories under Section 13(1) would not solve the problem, adding that factory-specific discussions were necessary.
He noted that the government’s labour adviser had already formed a committee to address workers' issues. “Alongside that, a quick response team should be established to visit factories facing problems. This team could mediate between owners and workers to determine if the owners lack sincerity or if the workers refuse to work despite their demands being met."
He continued: "It seems there is a lack of sincerity in the discussions between workers and owners. Closing factories under Section 13(1) is an attempt to escalate the workers' movement. It is creating a disconnect between the workers and the factories."
Under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, an employer can partially or fully close a branch or division of an establishment in response to an illegal strike. Workers involved in such a strike are not entitled to wages during the closure.
