RMG workers in Keraniganj, the biggest market for manufacturing garment products for local use, are busy making clothes to meet the growing demands of customers from all over the country as the Eid-ul-Fitr nears.
Apparel factories there meet 80% of demand of the country’s middle and low income people. Over 100,000 people are employed at around 7,500 factories and shops at the garment village located on the bank of Buriganga river on the outskirts of the capital.
When visiting different markets and shops in Agarnagar and Kaliganj of Keraniganj on Tuesday, this correspondent found buyers from all districts flocking to the areas to purchase garments products.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Abdul Aziz Sheikh, president of the Keraniganj Garment Traders and Shop Owners’ Association, said customers belonging to different classes, particularly the middle income one, visited there to buy clothes according to their choice at cheaper prices.
“About 120,000 people are working at various factories. We would like to see the market turn into a famous business hub. And, it is not impossible if the government helps us modernise it, he said, adding that they did not support the package value added tax (VAT) of 15%.
The traders’ leader demanded that the government be more business friendly and reduce the VAT rate.
“I urged our local lawmaker [Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources] to widen canals and set up more dustbins to keep the areas clean. But he has not paid any heed to our call yet,” he also said.
Hasnat Ahmed Talib, a wholesaler, said: “We are selling well this year compared to the last year. As we are new traders here, we have to sell more on credit.
“We sell products on a large scale in three seasons: Eid-ul Fitr, Eid-ul Azha and the winter. But, we could not sell as per our expectations during the last winter season as the year did not witness extreme cold as such.”No wage rules for workersA factory worker, Md Abul Hossain, said: “I can sew 50-80 pairs of pants a week, each at Tk30-80 depending on designs.
Tania Begum, a worker of Aria Brand Garments, said: “I started working here at Tk4,500 in 2010. Now my wage is Tk8,500.
“There are no rules and regulations for salaries or duties. As this is the month of Ramadan, we have to work all the times. We are not given any additional payment for our extra hours of work.”Challenges facing tradersHowever, Shamim Hawlader, the owner of a factory, said: “Our businesses have been on the wane for the last two years... Assorted problems including gas crisis, power shortage, dirty water, and hike in house rents and prices of equipment are among the challenges we are facing.
Some local buyers did not communicate with sellers and/or pay their money after purchasing clothes on credit, he alleged.
Iqbal Hossain, joint secretary of Dhaka district unit Awami League, and Shipu Ahmed, a member of Keraniganj upazila unit Awami Jubo League, took boat terminals at Swarighat and Sadarghat on lease from Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
Citing harassment by the leaseholders and local political leaders as another reason for the downturn in sales, Mojibur Rahman, the owner of Kader Garments, accused Iqbal and Shipu of harassing buyers while they carried products through the terminals.
“On the other hand, the buyers are extorted and made to suffer. Sometimes they are physically assaulted if they fail to fulfill the leaseholders’ demands,” Mojibur alleged, adding that these all were responsible for preventing them from visiting the market.
Hasan Ahmed, an employee of the leaseholders, denied the allegation, saying “We only collect tolls for using the terminals as per our employers’ instructions. And we do this in line with rules set by the BIWTA.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
