Mass rally in Gazipur demands reopening of Beximco factories

Hundreds of thousands of workers, employees, officers of Beximco Group, and local residents held a mass rally today in Gazipur's Kashimpur, demanding the reopening of 16 factories at Beximco Industrial Park.

The rally, held at Sunsity field in Tetuibari, Kashimpur, from 2pm to 5pm, also called for the payment of outstanding dues, the resumption of banking services, and the reopening of letter of credit (LC) facilities.

"We have lost our jobs and are now unemployed, facing a very helpless situation," said Hadi Islam, a factory worker. "The 42,000 workers in the factories are now in great difficulty, and we demand the reopening of the factories."

Another worker, Zulhas, added, "Our families are going through very hard times right now. We are not finding work anywhere else. Our salary for the last month has been reduced. We demand the government reopen the factories."

Kaiser, a worker, stressed the importance of opening LCs to reconnect with buyers, saying, "If back-to-back LCs are opened, we will be able to contact the buyers. Currently, thousands of workers like us are now unemployed. We appeal to the government to reopen our factories. The 42,000 workers at the factories are all in extreme distress."

Rahima Khatun, a participant in the protest, expressed her frustration with the ongoing situation, saying, "We are dying from hunger. The factories have been closed for several months and have not reopened. Can't you see the condition we are in?"

Razia Sultana, another worker at the rally, shared the dire financial situation many are facing, saying, "With our basic salary, we can't even afford rent or food. We are facing extreme hardship, with our families struggling to make ends meet. We are here not just to save our jobs, but to save our families."

Protesters also warned that they will continue their protests until their demands are met.

The Superintendent of Police of Industrial Police-2, AKM Zahidul Islam, addressed the situation, saying, "A peaceful public gathering is taking place, calling for the reopening of LCs at Beximco Industrial Park, the resumption of banking services, and several other demands. While the protesters are positioned along the highway, some workers have gathered on the road, causing a temporary disruption to traffic."

Beximco Industrial Park, owned by Salman F Rahman, the former private industry affairs adviser to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has faced significant difficulties in recent months.

Workers have been protesting the irregular payment of their wages, and the government provided loans to cover wages for several months. However, in December 2024, the government decided to close 16 factories due to a lack of orders and significant loan defaults.

A notice issued on 15 December stated, "All employees, workers, and staff working at Beximco are hereby informed that due to the lack of work at the factories, a lay-off will be implemented starting from 16 December in accordance with labour law."

Since the closure announcement, workers have staged multiple protests, including a road blockade on 21 December, which was dispersed by law enforcement using tear gas and rubber bullets. On 14 January 2025, workers organised a human chain stretching 11km, followed by a mass rally today.