Due to continuous safety concerns following the recent unrest, thirty textile companies remained closed on Wednesday, 18th September, largely in Ashulia and other industrial zones in Bangladesh.
While things are gradually returning to normal, 16 of Ashulia’s 245 textile units were forced to close since workers did not arrive after lunch. Furthermore, by implementing a “no work, no pay” policy, the factory owners are abiding under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act.
The other 14 garment factories that closed on Wednesday are located in various industrial belts, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
President of the BGMEA Khandoker Rafiqul Islam anticipates that by Saturday or Sunday, the industry will fully back to normal as manufacturing owners prepare to reopen their locations as the turmoil subsides.
Most factories have already returned to normal since law enforcement agencies such as the army and Industrial Police are dispatching more personnel to different locations to assist with maintaining law and order.
Islam claimed that during the preceding two and a half months, curfews, national holidays, and internet outages had been implemented by the Awami League administration, headed by Sheikh Hasina, which had hampered textile sector output.
Islam, however, asserted that garment workers in industrial regions such as Savar, Ashulia, Zirabo, and Zirani made requests that were both legitimate and outrageous once a provisional administration was established.
However, factory owners argue that after the government change, special interests trying to take control of the waste fabric (jhoot) business caused the labour unrest.
This is due to the fact that influential people connected to the present administration usually have control over jhut trading.
Islam claims that the affected factories’ production losses exceeded $100 million because several of them had to close because of present issues.
