The authorities of at least 70 industrial units, including 59 readymade garment factories in Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur, were forced to suspend operations on Monday as fresh workers鈥� protests broke out over several demands, including a wage hike.
According to the Industrial Police, out of 70 industrial units, 52 are located in Savar and Ashulia while the rest 18 factories are in Gazipur industrial area.
Law enforcers detained 21 individuals in Gazipur on the charges of instigating labour unrest in different factories.
Against the backdrop of fresh labour unrest, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association convened an emergency general meeting on Monday night at its headquarters in Uttara in the capital.
During the meeting majority of the factory owners opposed to increase wage and raise the annual increment from the current 5鈥�10 per cent.
They argued that the new wage was set in December 2023 and the sector was currently grappling with several challenges stemming from both global and internal factors, including a decline in global demand and high production costs exacerbated by rising energy prices, and elevated bank interest rates.
Factory owners said that production had been suspended for over two weeks this month and that they had previously experienced closures during the July鈥揂ugust anti-discrimination movement, which led to buyers shifting work orders to other countries.
The emergency general meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report about 8:30pm.
Ashulia zone Industrial Police superintendent Mohammad Sarowar Alam told聽 抖阴精品 that total 43 factories, mostly RMG units in Ashulia belt, were closed under the section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, while eight others聽 announced general holiday on Monday amid the labour unrest.
Sources from the Industrial Police headquarters said that production in 18 industrial units was suspended in Gazipur area on the day.
Police sources said that workers from the Seasons Dress garment factory in Gazipur took to the streets on Monday morning, blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway over unpaid wages for part of July and August.
Meanwhile, workers from Generation Next in Ashulia also gathered on the聽聽 Bipail-Abdullahpur road, demanding wage payments and other issues.
Industrial Police and Army personnel were dispatched to both locations, where demonstrating workers were joined by workers from other factories, they added.
The police said that workers from many factories on Monday demanded a wage hike, which was a fresh demand since no such demands came earlier from the protests that began since the end of August to continue for over three weeks.
On September15, the unrest was brought under control as most factories reopened and workers returned to work, following a tripartite call from factory owners, labour leaders, and advisers of the industries, labour and employment, and fisheries and livestock.
The situation improved last week despite protests within some units over various demands continued.
But from Sunday the situation deteriorated again when workers blocked two major highways in Ashulia and Gazipur over issues, including unpaid dues, wages and tiffin bonuses.
Considering the situation, the labour ministry on Monday held a meeting with factory owners and labour leaders to find ways to calm the situation.
At the meeting labour leaders placed a 18-point demand compiling the demands of agitated workers in several garment factories in Ashulia and Gazipur.
The demands include鈥攔econstitution of the wage board to set new minimum wages for workers; quick implementation of the 2023 minimum wage in factories; amendments to labour laws; immediate payment of all outstanding wages; and increase in attendance bonuses, tiffin bills and night allowances at the same rate across all factories.
The demands also include establishment of provident funds in all factories; 10 per cent yearly wage increase and food rations for workers; no blacklisting of workers following the biometric database; withdrawal of cases against those involved in the 2023 wage protests; enactment of guidelines to limit the dominance of jhut (garment factory waste materials) business; and establishment of non-discriminatory employment practices in factories.
The demands further include compensation and medical care for workers killed or injured during the July-August聽 movement; initiatives to support the well-being of Rana Plaza survivors; mandatory establishment of day-care centres in all factories as required by labour laws; and stopping of unlawful terminations; and extension of maternity leave to 120 days.
Labour secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman at the meeting assured labour leaders that the government was addressing several of the workers鈥� demands, including compensations for those killed in the July-August movement and the Rana Plaza building collapse.
Some issues, such as wage reviews, depended on policy decisions, and the ministry was committed to working on them, he said adding that factory owners agreed to meet some factory-level demands, including various bills, payment of dues, and the implementation of wages.
Regarding other matters, including the 10 per cent yearly increment, factory owners said that that they would announce their decision following discussions with fellow factory owners.
During the meeting, factory owners termed security as the prime concern for running factories at the moment.
Export orders were shifting to other countries due to the unrest forcing many factory owners to struggle to pay September wages in time, they said.
Hameem Group managing director AK Azad, former Bangladesh Textile Mills Association president Tapan Chowdhury, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Garment Workers Trade Union Centre president Montu Gosh, Sammilita Garment Shramik Federetion president Nazma Akter, Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation president Babul Akter, and Sramik Samhati president Taslima Akhter, among others, spoke at the meeting.