Labour unrest hits garment hubs, 25 factories shut

Garment workers took to the streets in several industrial areas of Dhaka and Gazipur on Saturday, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000, an end to worker blacklisting and the reinstatement of those dismissed from their jobs, triggering clashes, vandalism and major traffic disruptions.

The protests in Ashulia, Mirpur and Kaliakair disrupted factory operations and traffic on major roads and highways. At least six police personnel and several workers and pedestrians were injured, while authorities at 25 factories in Ashulia declared holidays to contain the unrest. Police also recovered three suspected crude bombs outside a factory in the area.


In Ashulia, tension spread from the morning across garment factories in Kathgora Bazar, Nayapara, Zirabo and Nischintapur as workers stopped work and joined demonstrations.

At one stage, agitated workers vandalised several factories, including Continental, AR Jeans and CWA, damaging windows and throwing bricks and stones.

Around noon, protesters blocked the Abdullahpur-Baipail road in Nischintapur. Police fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse them, leading to clashes and chases between the two sides. Six police personnel and several others were reportedly injured.

Three objects suspected to be crude bombs were recovered in front of New Age factory in Nischintapur during the unrest.

Syed Faisal Islam, additional superintendent of police of Industrial Police-1, said the suspected bombs were recovered amid the protests, but it was not immediately known who had brought or left them there. He confirmed that several people, including industrial police members, were injured.

Abul Kalam Azad, an inspector of Industrial Police-1, said several factory authorities had declared holidays amid the unrest and additional law enforcement personnel had been deployed across the industrial area.

Industrial Police-1 Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mominul Islam later said 25 factories had declared holidays and the situation was under control.

Workers alleged that factory owners were jointly blacklisting experienced workers through arbitrary dismissals, making it difficult for them to find jobs at other factories.

They demanded a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000, citing rising living costs, along with safe working conditions and an end to arbitrary layoffs.

Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, said the existing minimum monthly wage of Tk12,500 was inadequate amid rising prices, house rents, medical costs and family expenses.

He said workers had resorted to work stoppages and demonstrations after factory owners failed to address their demands. Fearing further deterioration, authorities at most factories along Zirabo, Narsinghpur and Kathgora roads declared a one-day holiday.

Meanwhile, garment workers in Mirpur also staged demonstrations throughout the day, blocking roads at several points, including Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-11, from around 10:30am and causing severe traffic congestion.

A clash broke out between protesting workers and security personnel of Himalaya Garments under Shah Ali Police Station at around 2:05pm, police said. Workers arriving from Mirpur-10 later vandalised the factory and the adjacent Baghdad Shopping Complex. Around 120 to 150 workers were present at the scene.

The protesters left the Mirpur-10 roundabout around 2:30pm before vandalising shops and markets near the shrine in Mirpur-1.

DMP Deputy Commissioner (Mirpur Division) Mohammad Naser Rikabdar said those involved in vandalism would be identified through CCTV footage and action would be taken against them. He said the demonstrations disrupted traffic throughout the day, leaving commuters stranded even after the protesters withdrew.

In Gazipur, workers from several factories blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway for a second time in Kaliakair, demanding higher wages and benefits.

The blockade began around 2:30pm in the Palli Bidyut area, where workers placed sacks filled with soil, wood and bamboo on the road and set them on fire. The obstruction halted traffic along nearly seven kilometres of the highway, leaving thousands of passengers and drivers stranded.

Workers said they had been pressing factory authorities for higher wages and benefits for several days without receiving a decision, prompting them to stop work and take to the streets.

Earlier in the morning, Humayun Kabir Khan, general secretary of the Road Transport and Workers Federation, held a meeting urging workers to refrain from vandalism and activities that could destabilise the situation. However, the workers began blocking the highway immediately after the meeting.

Kaliakair Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahidul Islam said police and industrial police personnel were at the scene and holding discussions with workers and factory owners to persuade the protesters to clear the road.