Garment factory owners in Chittagong are increasingly concerned about rising labour unrest, with protests reported at least eight factories over the past two weeks, resulting in the indefinite shutdown of two facilities. The unrest has primarily stemmed from workers’ demands for higher food and medical allowances.
Pacific Casuals Limited, operating in the Chittagong Export Processing Zone (EPZ), has halted operations at two of its units following an illegal work stoppage initiated by labourers. The factory’s closure will remain in effect until further notice as management seeks to address the situation.
Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, former Vice President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), noted that labour unrest has affected multiple factories in Chattogram in recent weeks. He expressed concern over attempts to incite chaos under the pretext of unjustified demands, highlighting the challenges faced even by high-compliance factories like Pacific Group.
Chowdhury indicated that discussions have already taken place to resolve the issues at Pacific Casuals, and there is hope for a swift reopening of the factory. Chattogram is a significant hub for the country’s garment production, hosting over 500 factories that employ hundreds of thousands of workers.
While unrest was previously observed in garment-rich areas such as Ashulia and Gazipur following a political shift in the country on 5th August, Chattogram remained unaffected until now. However, with some speculating potential attempts to incite unrest in the region, factory owners are on high alert.
Industry insiders have pointed out a leadership vacuum in the garment sector, stemming from the current operation of BGMEA under an administrator, which lacks representation from business owners. This has left factory owners to grapple with labour issues independently, often finding the situations escalating beyond their control.
As the situation develops, industry leaders are urged to take swift action to address labour unrest and stabilise the garment sector in Chittagong.
