Interstop-Mondol-Sadma Groups Behind Workers’ Protests; 34 Factories Linked to the Three Groups, Including Those Owned by Banned AL Leaders

The rising cost of living has made it increasingly difficult for workers to support their families. Recognising the situation, the government is fully committed to addressing workers’ demands. As part of this effort, the government formed a new minimum wage board yesterday, in accordance with its previously announced schedule.

Despite this, workers are continuing various activities in the name of protests. A particular group is deliberately keeping workers on the streets as part of a planned effort to destabilise the government and cause public suffering. In particular, activists of the banned party are desperate to pave the way for fugitive Sheikh Hasina’s return to the country from India next December.

Recently, they have been attempting to implement a plan to put the government in a difficult position by mobilising workers in the country’s leading export sector. The financial backing for these activities is reportedly coming mainly from several business groups backed by the authoritarian Awami League. Among them are the Interstop Group, Mondol Group and Sadma Group.

The three groups own a total of 34 garment factories. These include companies owned by former Awami League state minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam. A source at a national intelligence agency provided this information. The source also said that several businesses owned by former Awami League businessmen and lawmakers are involved in the activities.

Nazma Akter, president of the Sammilito Garments Sramik Federation, has acknowledged that garment workers’ protests are no longer under the control of the workers themselves.

She said that the unrest and acts of sabotage taking place in different areas in the name of garment workers are not workers’ movements but part of a political movement. Genuine workers are not involved in these protests, she said, adding that outsiders have been hired to carry out the violent activities.

Babul Akter, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, expressed a similar view. He said workers’ legitimate demands would be raised through the wage board and that genuine workers were not involved in the ongoing vandalism and violence.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) also believe that political conspiracy, rather than wage-related demands, is behind the protests.

According to sources, the Interstop Group has two companies: Interstop Apparels Ltd and Interstop Clothing Ltd. Both factories are located in Kaliakair, Gazipur. Besides former state minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam, the owners of the two companies include Nazim Uddin Ahmed, Md. Naimul Bashar Chowdhury and Sheikh Mohammad Ilias. All of them are associated with Awami League politics.

The Mondol Group has a total of 26 factories. These are Mondol Fabrics Ltd, Mondol Stining Mills Ltd, Mondol Knit Tex Ltd, Mondol Apparels Ltd, Mondol Printing Ltd, Montex Fabrics Ltd, Montex Printing Ltd, Montex Embroidery Ltd, Mondol Intimates Ltd, Mondol Textile (Unit-2), Mondol Fashion Ltd, Mark Sweater Ltd, Mondol Knitwears Ltd, Nitex Dresses Ltd, Eco Intimates Ltd, Mondol Yarn Dyeing Ltd, Alim Knit (BD) Ltd, Active (BD) Ltd, Cotton Club (BD) Ltd, Cotton Clout (BD) Ltd, Cotton Clothing (BD) Ltd, Tropical Nitex Ltd, Mondol Auto Solution and Mondol Securities Ltd.

The founder and chairman of the industrial group was late Abdul Majid Mondol, a former Awami League lawmaker. He died in 2021. After his death, ownership of the companies passed to his son, Abdul Momin Mondol. He became a member of parliament from the Sirajganj-5 constituency in the 2018 election, held without any contest, and in the 2024 dummy election.

Other owners of the group’s companies include Abdul Alim Mondol, Md. Zubayer Mondol, Sultana Khatun, Masuda Khatun, Abdul Mannan Mondol and Momena Khatun.

The industrial group was established in 2012 by looting public money. Its factories are located in Kaliakair, Gazipur.

According to the information, the Sadma Group has also played a role in intensifying the workers’ movement by providing financial support. The companies under this group include Sadma Fashion Wear Ltd, NK Sweaters Ltd, Mehedi International Ltd, Mouchak Knit Composite Ltd and Appropriate Apparel Ltd.

Md. Nasir Uddin, a director of the Sadma Group, was an aspiring parliamentary candidate during the Awami League’s tenure. Although he failed to become an MP, he wielded considerable influence within the party.

Other owners of the group include Md. Zahir Uddin, Sahela Siddika Shawon, AHM Shawkat Imran, Md. Sohel Rana, Md. Lokman Hossain, Md. Golam Faruk, Kamrul Ahsan Khan, Kamruzzaman Tuhin, Labib Uddin, Shahidul Islam, Parveen Sultana, Sirajul Haque, Ariful Hasan Khan, Zahirul Hasan, Mamun-ur-Rashid, Kazi Dabir Uddin and Md. Jamil Hasan Durjoy.

Intelligence information suggests that, on the instructions of fugitive leader Sheikh Hasina, the owners of these groups have mobilised Awami League and its affiliated organisations’ activists scattered across different parts of the country, involving them in disorder under the guise of workers’ protests while carrying sticks and batons.

The political group is also instigating continued protests in the name of securing workers’ rights. Several major business groups are spending substantial amounts of money on these activities, with the owners of these groups regularly providing the funds.