On Sunday morning, 6th October, the majority of Gazipur’s textile factories reopened, and employees resumed their jobs in a calm environment with tighter security. Additional police officers, the army, and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been sent to patrol the district in reaction to the recent disturbance.
Industrial police claim that eight factories in the vicinity are still closed for various reasons despite the calm. The creation of an interim administration following the removal of previous Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 5th August, during large-scale demonstrations spearheaded by students, set off the upheaval in the apparel industry. Workers have been voicing their demands in these protests almost every day.
Workers at the Irish Fashion Limited factory in the Zirani region staged a major protest on Saturday, calling for higher meal allowances, attendance bonuses, and other issues. The army and industrial police intervened later in the afternoon to bring the situation under control after the rally caused traffic problems on the Chandra-Nabinagar road.
Tension in Gazipur’s industrial zone on Saturday led to the temporary closure of nineteen factories as a result of demonstrations, roadblocks, and acts of vandalism. But by Sunday am, most factories had successfully resumed operations, and workers had returned to work without any problems.
The majority of factories are operating as of Sunday morning, according to Mohammad Sarwar Alam, the superintendent of police for the Gazipur industrial region, and there haven’t been any reports of unrest as of yet. He also gave assurances that the BGB and army patrols have greatly increased, and that the district and metropolitan police, along with the industrial police, are actively trying to ensure security within the enterprises.
Authorities are keeping a tight eye on the developments as the situation settles, and eight factories are still blocked for unknown reasons.
