Most factories in Ashulia reopen as owners accept workers’ demands
19 factories closed
Most of the garment factories in Ashulia reopened today after manufacturers yesterday agreed to 18 negotiated demands of workers, including an increase in the attendance bonus and implementation of the minimum wage by October.
Contacted, Superintendent of Industrial Police-1 Md Sarowar Alam said almost all the factories have reopened, while 19 factories, including 4 non-RMG ones, remained closed.
General holiday was declared in 14 factories and five others were closed under Section 13 (1) of Bangladesh Labour Act.
The section 13 (1) of the labour law entails that an employer may, in the event of an illegal strike in any section or department of any establishment, close down either wholly or partly such section or establishment.
"Factories such as 'Generation Next' have remained closed due to complications over unpaid wages," Sarowar added.
Almost all the factories in the Ashulia Industrial Zone including Baipail, Jamgara, Kathgara and Narsinghapur have reopened this morning (25 September) with workers joining work.
Meanwhile, no untoward incident has been reported as of this morning. Additional law enforcement forces have been deployed outside the factories, while teams of joint forces have been patrolling the area to keep the situation under control.
Earlier, manufacturers agreed to all 18 negotiated demands of the workers, including an increase in the attendance bonus by Tk225 and 100% implementation of the minimum wage by October.
A consensus was reached between the owners and workers, and as a result, the government expected all factories to operate normally starting today.
Other demands included a raise in both the tiffin bill and night bill by Tk10 each, the supply of products at affordable prices through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), and a fixed timeline for the payment of arrears.
Sources said on Monday (23 September) that the total number of operational factories in Ashulia that day was 272, with 267 of them having paid August wages, while five factories have not yet been able to pay the August wages.
BGMEA also reported that the total number of operational factories in Savar, Ashulia, and Zirani that day was 407, while 39 factories remained closed.
In Gazipur, 876 factories were open, while 10 remained closed.
Additionally, in Narayanganj, 209 factories were operational, 302 in the DMP area, and 350 in Chattogram. BGMEA noted that no factories remained closed in these areas.