39 factories closed in Ashulia following wage hike protests

Production activities have been halted today (23 September)  in a total of 39 factories in the Ashulia industrial area, according to BGMEA sources.

Of these, 27 factories are closed based on Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 (No work, no pay), and in 12 factories, workers are either on leave or work has been suspended, although the factories remain open.

Factories closed under Section 13(1) of the Labour Act include MAM Garments Limited, Nassa Group, Newage Group, Ananta Group, Sterling Style Ltd., Sterling Creation, Sterling Apparels, Bando Design, Envoy Group, Vintage, Generation Next, and 27 others.

The factories where workers are on paid leave, work has been halted, or workers have left include Al-Muslim Apparels, Trouser Line Limited, Fashion Forum Limited, Safa Sweater, The Rose Dresses, Preeti Industrial Park, FNF Trend Fashion, and 12 others.

The source added that the total number of operational factories today in Ashulia is 272, with 267 of them having paid August wages, while five factories have not yet been able to pay the August wages.

BGMEA also reported that the total number of operational factories today in Savar, Ashulia, and Zirani is 407, while 39 factories remain closed. 

In Gazipur, 876 factories are open, while 10 remain closed.

Additionally, in Narayanganj, 209 factories are operational, 302 in the DMP area, and 350 in Chattogram. BGMEA noted that no factories are currently closed in these areas.

Meanwhile, Superintendent for Industrial Police-1, Md Sarwar Alam, informed the media that a total of 52 factories in the Ashulia area have halted production activities today.

Out of these, 43 factories are closed under Section 13(1) of the Labour Act, while 9 factories are on general leave.