Sources say a large section of factory owners want to keep their factories closed indefinitely as workers in Savar, Gazipur and several other areas have continued to refuse to join work, disrupting production for consecutive days.
Garment workers resume work at a factory in Gazipur today (8 November) as production returns to normal across the industrial belt following several days of labour unrest over wage demands. Photo: TBS
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Garment workers resume work at a factory in Gazipur today (8 November) as production returns to normal across the industrial belt following several days of labour unrest over wage demands. Photo: TBS
Garment factory owners today (14 November) sat in an emergency meeting to decide their next course of action amid ongoing labour unrest.
The meeting began shortly after 11am at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association headquarters in Dhaka’s Uttara, with about 200 factory owners joining the meeting, according to BGMEA sources.
The BGMEA has scheduled a press conference this afternoon to announce the decisions taken at the meeting.
Sources said a large section of factory owners want to keep their factories closed indefinitely as workers in Savar, Gazipur and several other areas have continued to refuse to join work, disrupting production for consecutive days.
A decision on the matter may come following the discussions, they added.
Meanwhile, 50 factories in Savar have already announced indefinite closures under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act.
The unrest began on 31 October, with workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000.
The government formed a minimum wage board on 1 November to review the sector’s pay structure.
Although protests subsided after 5 November, unrest intensified again on 10 November, spreading across Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur. More than 200 factories suspended production on 12 November as workers refused to join shifts, while at least nine factories have since announced indefinite closures under Section 13(1) of the Labour Act.
Labour leaders yesterday urged workers to return to work, demanded the withdrawal of cases against protesters and called for dialogue instead of factory closures.
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