Garment workers resume work, normalcy gradually returns to industrial areas

Normalcy has begun to return to the garment industrial zones of Savar-Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj as workers returned to their workplaces this morning (5 November) following several days of unrest over minimum wage demands.

Workers were seen arriving at factories across the two industrial areas and joining their respective shifts, while production activities resumed without any reported disruption.

During a visit to Savar-Ashulia, BSS correspondent found factories in areas such as Ulail returning to regular operations, with workers expressing satisfaction at being able to resume work.

Shafiqul Islam, a sewing operator at JK Group in Savar, told BSS that he and his colleagues had not participated in the recent protests.

Although they want their wages increased, they do not support attacks or acts of sabotage against garment factories, he said, adding that they want industrial facilities to remain operational.

Subhash Chandra Saha, additional superintendent of police for Dhaka district, said workers had returned to their jobs following the government’s initiative to address their wage demands.

He said no incidents of unrest had been reported since morning and that law enforcement personnel remained on high alert following directives from higher authorities.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of the BNP, Chhatra Dal and Juba Dal were also present near factories in Savar-Ashulia to help maintain security and prevent any untoward incidents.

In Gazipur, almost all garment factories reopened this morning, including those that had announced sudden holidays yesterday.

Workers were seen entering factories and joining production activities in different industrial areas, with no fresh incidents of unrest reported until 9am.

Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Amjad Hossain said 99.99% of garment factories in the district were operational today.

During visits to Bhogra, Naojor, Board Bazar and Signboard areas around 8am, workers were seen queuing up to enter factories, while production activities were underway as usual.

Traffic movement on the Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways was also normal.

A similar situation was observed in Narayanganj, where workers returned to factories after demonstrations and road blockades from Monday to Wednesday over demands for a revision of the minimum wage.

Workers from several factories, including those in Fatullah, had staged demonstrations during the period.

No fresh protests or road blockades were reported along the Dhaka-Narayanganj connecting road or other highways and regional roads on Thursday morning. Public transport and other vehicles were also seen operating normally.

Narayanganj Superintendent of Police Habibur Rahman said no incidents of unrest had been reported so far on Thursday.

He said law enforcement agencies remained on high alert to maintain stability and security and prevent any fresh outbreak of violence.

Additional security measures have also been introduced at key points across the industrial zone to avert any untoward incidents.

Security personnel, supported by armoured vehicles, water cannons, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) vehicles and Industrial Police vans, were deployed in Chashara, a central area of Narayanganj city.

Police said the heightened security measures were aimed at ensuring uninterrupted factory production and safeguarding public safety.