BGMEA, BKMEA urge garment factories to stay closed on Saturday

 
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) have urged factory owners to keep their garment factories closed next Saturday on the occasion of National Revolution and Solidarity Day.

In a notice issued on Thursday, BGMEA requested its member factories to declare a holiday on Saturday.

The notice said the Ministry of Public Administration, following a Cabinet decision last month, had declared November 7 a public holiday every year to mark National Revolution and Solidarity Day. Accordingly, BGMEA requested all its member factories to remain closed on Saturday.

Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, executive president of BKMEA, said the association had also sent a letter requesting its member factories to observe the holiday on Saturday.

He added that they had also been requested to keep factories closed on Saturday during a meeting with the Home Minister on Thursday over the ongoing workers' movement.

Workers have been protesting for higher wages for the past two weeks. The demonstrations have disrupted production at several factories every day this week.

Although the situation remained calm in Gazipur and Narayanganj on Thursday, workers blocked roads and staged demonstrations in Ashulia, Savar. Clashes and chases between police and workers followed, while a police vehicle was vandalised.

Following the incident, authorities declared holidays at 70 factories in Ashulia amid fears of further unrest.