Over 50 factories shut amid labour unrest in Savar, Ashulia

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More than 50 factories in the industrial belt of Savar and Ashulia remained closed today amid ongoing labour unrest, while workers of five others refrained from joining work.…

More than 50 factories in the industrial belt of Savar and Ashulia remained closed today amid ongoing labour unrest, while workers of five others refrained from joining work.

Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of police of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, confirmed the situation to the media around 10:00am today.

He said the overall situation in Savar, Ashulia and Dhamrai, which fall under Industrial Police-1, was calm, with most factories operating as usual.

“Factory owners have kept more than 50 factories closed for various reasons. Operations have been normal everywhere since the morning. Workers at only five factories in the region have not started work and are sitting idle. No disorder has been reported elsewhere."

There are around 800 garment factories in the area and everyone, including factory owners, wants stability in the garment sector, he added.

Khairul Mamun Mintoo, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, told The Daily Star that the situation in the industrial belt was considerably better today.

More than 50 factories in the area remain closed indefinitely due to labour unrest, he said, adding that most had been shut.

“Declaring factories closed under Section 13(1) of the Labour Act fuels further resentment among workers. This provision can provoke further agitation because workers do not receive any wages while factories remain closed under this section. The absence of wages could make workers even more aggrieved,” he said.

Mintoo called for urgent initiatives involving government representatives, factory owners, workers, labour leaders and other stakeholders to restore a conducive working environment and resume operations.

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