Business Report :
The garment factories in Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur returned to full operations on Wednesday after workers and manufacturers agreed on 18 key demands addressing labour concerns.
Sources said that while ten factories in Ashulia and Savar had closed by Wednesday afternoon, and four in Gazipur, most factories were operating as normal. In fact, 98% of the 407 factories in Savar and Ashulia were still running, and in Gazipur, 99.54% of the 876 factories were functioning. Nationally, 99% of the factories were operational.
Of the ten closed factories in Savar and Ashulia, six were shut under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, which follows a “no work, no pay” policy. The other four briefly opened before closing again due to worker unrest.
Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), reassured the public that the situation was largely under control, with most workers returning to work.
“This is good news for both us and the country. Only ten factories remain closed, but we expect them to reopen by Saturday. Workers are cooperating and we hope the garment sector will soon enter a new era of growth for Bangladesh,” he said.
Police sources in Ashulia mentioned that most factory closures were due to financial issues rather than protests. These factories are expected to reopen soon. Khairul Mamun Mintu, the legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Sweater Workers Trade Union, added that the workers’ movement, ongoing for weeks, had led to a tripartite agreement on 18 key demands.
The government, manufacturers, and workers met at the Ministry of Labour and accepted all the demands. Following the joint announcement, factories reopened, and workers returned to their jobs, with hopes for a stable working environment moving forward.
Additional security forces have been deployed to maintain peace, alongside increased surveillance and patrolling in industrial areas.
The agreement, made on Tuesday, outlines several key improvements for workers. These include implementing the minimum wage in all factories by October, settling unpaid wages by October 10, and increasing attendance bonuses by Tk225.