40 factories in Savar-Ashulia closed indefinitely

BanglaPress Desk: At least 40 garment factories in the Savar and Ashulia industrial zones have been declared closed indefinitely due to labor unrest. Additionally, authorities have declared a general holiday at four to five other factories after workers, despite arriving and marking their attendance, refused to begin work on Saturday morning.

Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, Superintendent of Police for Ashulia Industrial Police-1, confirmed this information.

Speaking over the phone around 10:00 AM, Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan stated that at least 40 factories remain closed indefinitely due to labor unrest. Furthermore, a general holiday has been declared at four to five other factories because workers refused to carry out their duties.

The factories that have been closed include: Fashion Dot Com, Crosswear Garments Industries Pvt. Ltd., Magpie Composite Textile Ltd., Crosswear Industries Ltd., Active Composite Mills Ltd., Natural Denims Ltd., Manta Apparels Ltd., Envoy Fashion Ltd., Envoy Design Ltd., AR Jeans Producer Ltd., FGS Denim Wear Ltd., Chantik Garments Ltd., Arunima Sportswear Ltd., DMC Apparels Ltd., DMC Washing Ltd., Newage Garments Ltd., Newage Apparels Ltd., Kylek Newage Bangladesh Ltd., Radiance Knitwear Ltd., Taharat Composite Ltd., LPS Apparels Ltd., Anam Garments Ltd., Eagle Textile Ltd., Continental Garments Industries Pvt. Ltd., Jihan Garments Industries Ltd., all factories under the Lusaka Group, Southern Garments Ltd., S-21 Garments Ltd., Textown Ltd., and Ratul Knitwear Ltd. Factories have been declared closed for an indefinite period under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act. This provision stipulates that in the event of an illegal strike, the employer may partially or fully close the establishment or any part thereof. During such a closure, workers participating in the strike are not entitled to receive wages.

However, Khairul Mamun Mintu, Legal Affairs Secretary of the Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, has expressed concern that the application of this provision could further intensify worker discontent.

Meanwhile, the Ashulia industrial zone has once again become volatile. Clashes and running battles between workers and the police occurred as recently as last Tuesday, leaving at least seven people—including police personnel and workers—injured. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been deployed in the industrial area.

Workers in Ashulia have been staging protests, work stoppages, and road blockades, demanding, among other things, that the minimum wage be set at 30,000 taka and that the practice of blacklisting workers be brought to an end.

On Monday, during the second meeting of the Wage Board—formed to determine the minimum wage for workers in the ready-made garment sector—the workers' representatives proposed a minimum wage of 32,000 taka. The employers' representatives, on the other hand, did not put forward any proposal; instead, they requested an additional week.