Garment Factories in Ashulia, Savar and Parts of Gazipur May Shut from Sunday

Garment factory owners may keep factories in Ashulia, Savar and parts of Gazipur closed from Sunday, November 15, amid labour unrest and concerns over overall security. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said the closures may be implemented under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006.

BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu disclosed the decision at a press conference at the association’s head office in Uttara, Dhaka, on Saturday, November 14.

Earlier, an emergency consultation meeting began at the BGMEA office shortly after noon, with owners of around 200 factories affiliated with BGMEA and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) attending.

At the press conference, the BGMEA president said almost all participants felt that discussions at the wage board would be questionable unless overall security at the factories could be ensured. After reviewing the situation and the security of the industry, factory owners in the affected areas had been compelled to consider what he described as a difficult but unavoidable decision.

He said factories in the areas concerned might have to suspend operations from November 15 under Section 13(1) of the labour law because ongoing labour unrest had made it difficult to maintain production.

Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu stressed that factories in Ashulia, Savar and parts of Gazipur make an important contribution to the national economy and exports. He said protecting the industry and safeguarding the livelihoods of the millions of people connected to it were collective responsibilities.

He called on the government to restore law and order in the affected areas as quickly as possible and ensure effective enforcement of the law. He also urged factory owners, workers, the government, civil society and the media to play constructive roles in resolving the crisis.

Explaining the closure decision, the BGMEA president said a trade association could not independently order factories to shut under Section 13(1). Rather, he said, individual factory owners were being compelled to suspend operations because they could not continue production amid the disorder.

He added that, at the request of BGMEA and the government, factories had made every effort to remain operational despite the unstable situation over the past 12 to 14 days. However, continuing production had become impossible under the circumstances.

Providing figures on factory operations, he said 55 factories had already been closed under Section 13(1) as of Saturday. Another 92 factories had failed to operate despite attempts to resume production. Owners of those factories may declare closures under the same provision from Sunday.

According to the BGMEA president, a total of 147 factories were unable to conduct production on Saturday. He said an average of around 2,000 workers are employed at each BGMEA factory, meaning approximately 300,000 workers are employed across the affected factories.