Staff Reporter :
At least 95 factories in Gazipur, Savar, Narayanganj, and Narsingdi have permanently closed in the past seven months, with several others temporarily ceasing operations.
As a result, approximately 62,000 workers have lost their jobs, most of whom have yet to receive their outstanding wages and termination benefits.
Sources indicate three main reasons behind these closures. First, many factories shut down due to financial difficulties and a lack of purchase orders.
Second, some factories, owned by individuals with ties to the Awami League, were vandalised and set on fire, forcing them to close.
Third, certain factories fell into disrepair as their owners-businessmen associated with the ousted Awami League government-fled into hiding.
According to the Industrial Police, 54 of the closed factories were located in Gazipur, 23 in Narayanganj-Narsingdi, and 18 in Savar-Ashulia. These factories collectively employed 61,881 workers.
In response to the job losses and unpaid wages, many former workers have taken to the streets, protesting for the reopening of factories and the payment of their outstanding dues.
These protests have increasingly disrupted daily life for the general public.
Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), acknowledged the workers’ struggles in securing their unpaid wages.
He confirmed that compensation remains unsettled in nearly all of the closed factories. In response to questions, he stated that while some of the unemployed workers have found new jobs, others have returned to their villages, and many are still without work.
