Around 45 factories in the Ashulia area were forced to close on Saturday due to lingering dissatisfaction among workers, even as government and industry efforts succeeded in restoring order in Gazipur and Savar industrial zones, UNB reports.

The remaining salary-related issues in some Ashulia manufacturing sites would be resolved soon, said chief of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Sunday, airing confidence that all garment factories will be opened on Sunday.

Despite reopening all garment factories on Saturday morning, 45 of them had to shut down again by 10:00 am due to disruptions caused by external agitators, he noted.    

BGMEA Director Shovon Islam added that while most factories across the country remained operational on Saturday, the Ashulia area faced issues related to salary payments. BGMEA is working closely with the government to resolve these problems quickly, he said.

He expressed optimism that production in garment factories would resume fully from Sunday and that the unrest would gradually subside.

To address security concerns, the BGMEA has established a coordination cell involving the army, industrial police, intelligence agencies, factory owners, and other law enforcement bodies. This area-wise setup is designed to respond swiftly to any incidents of insecurity or unrest, ensuring the stability of factory operations.

Earlier, some labour leaders attributed the lingering differences in talks with factory owners to the lack of the former’s control over the recent protests, largely due to the influence of outsiders.

As a result, the labour leaders had limited representation in crisis management talks. The demands by workers would be met soon, added the statement.

bd-pratidin/GR