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Govt sees political conspiracy behind factory unrest: Labour minister
Published : Sunday, 1 November, 2026 at 8:49 PM
Observer Online Report
The government has described the ongoing unrest in the garment sector as a political conspiracy aimed at destabilising the country, saying it will tackle the situation politically, Labour Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has said.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Sunday evening over the unrest in the garment sector.
The minister alleged that a group with no direct involvement in workers' issues was using various organisations to carry out conspiracies ahead of December.
"At the meeting, we discussed the formation of a wage board for workers and ensuring the proper operation of industrial establishments. However, our main objective is to ensure public safety and restore stability," he said.
He further alleged that forces associated with fascism were involved in conspiracies to destabilise the country, adding that the government would address the situation politically.
The meeting also stressed the need to remain vigilant to ensure the smooth operation of factories and protect people's lives and property.
Earlier on Sunday, garment workers staged demonstrations in Savar, Gazipur and Mirpur in the capital, demanding, among other things, a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000.
Amid the unrest, at least 80 factories in Savar and Gazipur announced closures. These included more than 50 factories in Savar and at least 30 in Kaliakair, Gazipur.
In Mirpur, clashes broke out between workers and police in several rounds, accompanied by vandalism and arson. During the clashes in Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-11, shops and the glass windows of a Jamuna Bank branch were vandalised. A police vehicle parked beneath the metro rail line was also set on fire.
Police brought the situation under control around 2:00 PM by dispersing the protesting workers.
In Ashulia, Savar, workers blocked the Abdullahpur-Baipail road and chanted slogans demanding higher wages. Meanwhile, in Kaliakair, a garment factory's waste-material warehouse and a pickup van were set on fire.
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, 01550707296
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Online-email: [email protected]
