Mushtaq Ahmed Shawon :
The garment industry in Narayanganj is witnessing an alarming increase in worker dissatisfaction. Following recent anti-discrimination movements, the issue has escalated significantly. Allegations suggest that certain labor leaders are encouraging unrest among workers. If a worker fails to attend regular duty and the factory management seeks an explanation, these leaders often create disruptions, threatening innocent workers and rallying them onto the streets. This growing interference by so-called petty labor leaders is fueling discontent in the garment sector.
Reports indicate that over 15 lakh workers are employed across more than 800 export-oriented garment factories in Narayanganj, most of which are located in the Fatullah industrial area.
Factory owners in Fatullah’s BSCIC Industrial Zone attribute the situation to inadequate police presence, which allows troublemakers to exploit opportunities. Disguised as workers, they incite violence. Following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5 due to intense protests from students and the public, various groups have surfaced with different demands. However, the demands of garment workers are often inconsistent, varying from factory to factory.
In some factories, workers protest for gender-equal employment, maternity benefits, night allowances, and medical coverage. Factory officials believe these protests are largely driven by external influences.
Recently, on Wednesday, February 19, workers from Eurotex Knitwear staged protests in Lamapara, Fatullah, blocking the Narayanganj-Dhaka Link Road from 2 PM. The protest created massive traffic jams, causing severe inconvenience to commuters. Law enforcement and BGB forces later intervened, calming the workers and ending the blockade.
According to workers and police, nearly 4,000 workers are employed at Eurotex Knitwear Limited, an export-oriented factory in Nayamati, Fatullah. Since February 11, workers have been protesting inside the factory, demanding payment of one month’s overdue wages along with other allowances. The unrest led to vandalism inside the factory. Following the incident, the factory’s officer, Sajedul Islam, filed a case against 28 terminated workers at the Fatullah Model Police Station. Workers have since been demanding the withdrawal of the case and reinstatement of the dismissed employees.
In another case, a small garment factory owner in Masdair faced financial difficulties, leaving two months of workers’ salaries unpaid. After failing to secure a bank loan, the owner discussed the issue with the workers and decided to suspend production temporarily, promising to clear payments in installments. Initially, female workers were paid. However, rumors spread among local workers, who falsely claimed that 400 workers were owed eight months of wages and that the owner planned to sell the machinery and flee.
