PM’s Timely Move Brings Garment Workers Back to Work, Production Resumes Across Factories

Normal activities have finally resumed in the country’s major industrial zones after several days of labour unrest, work stoppages and disruptions. Following holidays and temporary factory closures, garment workers returned to their respective workplaces voluntarily on Sunday morning.

Factories that had remained closed due to protests reopened their gates, bringing back the usual bustle to industrial areas. Traffic on highways and local roads also returned to normal, bringing relief to local residents and business owners.

A visit to Gazipur, Ashulia, Savar, Mirpur and Pallabi in the capital on Sunday morning found workers returning to their workplaces across the industrial areas. Long queues of workers were seen at the main gates of various factories in Gazipur from early morning. Workers entered their workplaces after punching their ID cards, as on any regular working day. Traffic on major roads, including the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways, was also normal.

Production resumed fully on Sunday at garment factories in Jamgora, Narsinghpur, Zirabo, Baipail, Nischintapur, Kathgara and Shimulia in Savar and Ashulia. Workers were busy in the sewing and cutting sections from the morning, and the factories returned to their regular working environment.

In Mirpur, police maintained strict surveillance and remained on alert from early morning. Workers joined their workplaces at the usual time of 8:00am, and normal working conditions returned to garment factories in the area.

Garment workers also returned to their workplaces in Narayanganj. Police and other law enforcement agencies remained on alert. The situation around Shibu Market and Kathpatti on the Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road was normal, with no reports of untoward incidents.

“We are the ones who suffer when protests continue and work remains suspended. We face financial uncertainty along with our families. We want factories to remain open and the working environment to stay peaceful. At the same time, we hope the factory owners will also pay attention to our legitimate demands and benefits,” said a garment worker in Ashulia.

Law enforcement agencies remained on high alert across industrial zones to prevent further unrest or untoward incidents. Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel intensified patrols along highways, at sensitive points in industrial areas and around factories.

In a statement issued on Sunday morning (November 8), BGB said 33 platoons had been deployed in different industrial areas of Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj to maintain law and order and deal with any untoward situation.

According to the statement, BGB personnel were deployed in Savar, Ashulia and Mirpur in Dhaka; Shibu Market, Jalkuri, BSCIC Industrial Estate, Chashara, Kanchpur and Shimrail in Narayanganj; and Chandra, Pallibidyut, Mouchak, Ambag, Kashimpur, Naojor, Bhogra Bypass, Gacha and Salna in Gazipur.

Kaliakair Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) AHM Fakhrul Hossain said 13 platoons of BGB, 21 executive magistrates and a large number of police and Ansar members had been deployed to maintain normalcy. No untoward incidents had been reported, he added.

Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Amzad Hossain said garment workers had joined their workplaces peacefully from the morning. All factories had reopened, while law enforcement personnel were maintaining security at key locations.

The return to normalcy has brought relief not only to workers and factory owners but also to local small business owners, transport workers and residents. The disruptions caused by several days of unrest have eased, allowing economic activities to regain momentum. Stakeholders hope that factory owners, workers and the government will work together to maintain lasting peace and keep the industrial sector running smoothly.