Five ready-made garment (RMG) factories in Gazipur have been closed indefinitely in response to continuous labour protests, while thirteen more have declared a one-day holiday. The workers’ demands for better working conditions, bonuses, and higher pay are what led to the closures.
MM Knitwear Ltd, Mamun Knitwear Ltd, and Makul Knitwear Ltd in the Konabari region, as well as two more in Kashimpur, are among the factories that have been placed on indefinite closure. The Konabari Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge, Md. Nazrul Islam, verified the situation to the local media, saying that although plant owners had agreed to some worker demands, full acceptance of all demands is still pending.
Prominent companies like Fashion Summit Ltd., Rezaul Apparels, Life Textiles Ltd., and others are among the thirteen manufacturers declaring a holiday.
According to MM Knitwear Ltd.’s administrative official, the workers’ “unreasonable demands” must stop and a stable working environment must return before the plant may reopen. In a similar vein, Islam Group production manager Mamun Sarkar stated that workers protested at the beginning of the workday, which led to the declaration of a one-day holiday by the authorities.
This disturbance comes after 33 RMG factories in and around Dhaka ceased operations on 3rd November owing to similar worker demonstrations. The current state of affairs highlights persistent tensions in Bangladesh’s garment industry, which is an essential part of the country’s economy.
