[🇧🇩] Textile & RMG Industry of Bangladesh

[Saif]

Deeper crisis feared as 219 factories shut

With 219 garment factories shut in Ashulia yesterday amid worker unrest along the industrial belts, Bangladesh’s apparel sector is feared to get into a deeper crisis if production does not resume on Saturday after the weekend.

www.thedailystar.net

Deeper crisis feared as 219 factories shut

With 219 garment factories shut in Ashulia yesterday amid worker unrest along the industrial belts, Bangladesh's apparel sector is feared to get into a deeper crisis if production does not resume on Saturday after the weekend.

Officials see conspiracies behind the unrest and believe "real workers" are not involved in the vandalism of some factories, while labour leaders blame the influence of partisan politics and control over fabric scrap trade for the situation.

Meanwhile, the inaction of a demoralised industrial police force and the "unusual demands" of the workers have frustrated the owners, who are under pressure from international buyers ahead of the next holiday season in the West.

Of the factories closed yesterday, 86 were shut indefinitely under the Labour Act, which empowers the employer to shut any unit in case of a strike.

The remaining 133 factories were closed as they declared a general holiday, said Md Sarwar Alam, superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police-1.

The closed factories included 107 members of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, mainly in Ashulia and Zirabo, said Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, president of the association.

Although a few committees involving local politicians were formed in Ashulia to resolve the crisis through discussions, industry owners are worried about the safety of their factories, he said.

Industrial police have yet to start fully functioning more than one month after the ouster of the Awami League government, further fuelling safety concerns. Harsh measures like internet shutdown amid street protests during the mass uprising already hampered production and orders heavily.

Owners say they are not getting help from the industrial police even after lodging complaints. The number of personnel patrolling the industrial zones is inadequate.

Army personnel have been deployed to the industrial zones, but they do not have the magistracy powers to arrest protesters, said Shams Mahmud, managing director of Shasha Denims.

"We aren't getting the confidence to run the factories because of safety concerns," Mahmud told The Daily Star over the phone.

Foreign buyers are putting pressure for timely delivery but the factories are shut, said a frustrated Mahmud. Many shipments may get cancelled, or the buyers may demand big discounts or expensive air shipments, he added.

Many international retailers and brands are cancelling buying trips because of the unrest although this is the peak time to confirm work orders for the next winter season, exporters said.

"So, a massive impact of the unrest will be noticed in the next winter season," Mahmud said.

A senior officer of the industrial police, requesting anonymity, said they are conducting joint patrols in the industrial zones and responding to incidents. Industrial police are trying to be fully functional, the officer added.

AK Azad, chairman and CEO of Ha-Meem Group, echoed the views of Mahmud. He said most of the incidents were taking place in Ashulia and local groups were involved.

Police are not working, which is helping the unrest in one factory to spread to the others, said a garment exporter based in Narayanganj's Rupganj who asked not to be named.

In some cases, political issues are also involved, the exporter said.

For instance, he said, the unrest in the Beximco garment factory has political influence as one of its owners, Salman F Rahman, was an adviser to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

He also said that buyers, worried and frustrated over the situation, are sending a lot of queries to know about the condition of work orders for the next season.

Giant Group Managing Director Faruque Hassan claimed the ongoing unrest is not about wages because the pay was hiked in December last year.

In many cases, the workers are demanding the removal of senior officials, equal ratio in appointment of male and female workers, he said.

The workers are placing "unusual demands" in some cases, said Md Saleudh Zaman Khan, vice-president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.

For example, he said, protesters demanded the recruitment of 300 workers when a factory in Narayanganj needed only 20. The factory management decided to hire a little over 20 workers, but the protesters did not return to work, Zaman said.

Worker leaders pointed the finger at partisan politics and conflict in fabric scrap trade for the unrest. They said a section of fabric scrap traders were trying to maintain control by using the workers.

Many are taking advantage of weak law and order, said Md Towhidur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Apparel Workers Federation.

If the factories do not reopen fully on Saturday, the sector may face a deeper crisis in near future, he said.

Nazma Akter, president of Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation, said many workers are also involved in partisan politics. In some cases, outsiders are instigating them to launch unrest, she said.

She recommended holding a dialogue among the stakeholders to find a way out of the crisis.

Labour and Employment Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman believes those involved in the vandalism of factories are not real workers.

The secretary said he held a meeting with BGMEA leaders and union leaders at Tongi yesterday as part of measures to improve worker-owner relations.

Asif Mahmud, youth and sports adviser to the interim government, suspects a conspiracy behind the ongoing unrest in the garment sector.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy yesterday, he said that around 20 percent of total orders have been cancelled.

"And we have witnessed that the buyers of a certain country have been desperately lobbying to get those orders," he said, citing Secretary Shafiquzzaman.

Asif said that workers prevented attacks on factories by a group called Bekar Jubo Songho, or Unemployed Youth Association, and one leader of the association arrested in Netrokona was found to be involved with AL's student front Chhatra League.

He admitted that the protesting workers have some genuine demands besides the conspiracies.

The adviser also warned of strict action against fabric scrap traders who are fuelling the unrest.​

 

[Saif]

Authorities must immediately address apparel sector unrest

THE ongoing labour unrest in the apparel sector that has led to the shutdown of more than a hundred factories is gravely concerning for owners and employees in the sector and the economy. The unrest at a time when fresh orders come aplenty is feared to have a lasting negative impact on the...

www.newagebd.net

Authorities must immediately address apparel sector unrest
13 September, 2024, 00:00

THE ongoing labour unrest in the apparel sector that has led to the shutdown of more than a hundred factories is gravely concerning for owners and employees in the sector and the economy. The unrest at a time when fresh orders come aplenty is feared to have a lasting negative impact on the sector. September and October are crucial for the sector as most western buyers place orders in these two months targeting Christmas. Any disruption now in the sector, one of the pillars of the economy, will give benefits to Bangladesh’s competitors, which naturally eye to seize the market. Labour unrest shut down, as New Age reported on September 11, 114 factories in Ashulia and Gazipur industrial areas. Workers of several factories in the Beximco Industrial Park in Gazipur on September 11 went on demonstration demanding their wage for August and tried to mobilise workers of other factories, leading to a clash. About 32,000 workers in the Beximco Industrial Park had rallied for their overdue wage for August and although the authorities issued payment on September 10, many workers did not receive the wage. The workers also burnt a factory in Kashimpur after a clash between two worker groups.

In the wake of the unrest that has continued for a few days, at least 60 factories announced a paid general holiday while 54 units announced closure for an indefinite period. It is feared that about 100,000 workers might get laid off if the shutdown continues and if work orders do not come. Factory owners have, meanwhile, alleged that the unrest is created by outsiders and is politically motivated. While the allegation appears a typical response of owners, it bears some truth as a leader of the Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League, was arrested on September 8 after a provocative speech in front of apparel workers at Savar had gone viral. This suggests that the unrest might be, to some extent, politically motivated and outsiders, local or foreign, might have attempted sabotage. The authorities certainly need to examine the allegation and assess the situation. But at the same time, the authorities need to address the labour rights issue that continues to be a cause for concern. Bangladesh cuts a sorry figure when it comes to labour rights. The Global Rights Index has ranked Bangladesh among the 10 worst countries for workers for consecutive years since 2017.

The government needs to address the issue efficiently, effectively and immediately to bring stability in the sector. The authorities must provide security for industrial areas and investigate whether the unrest is an act of sabotage. The authorities, however, should by no means be high-handed to workers and heed genuine grievances of the workers. The labour unions also need to come forward and help bring stability in the sector.​

 

[Saif]

130 factories remain open in Ashulia on weekend

A total of 130 factories in the Ashulia industrial area, where there is no worker unrest, remained open today despite the usual weekly holiday, due to pressure from work orders

www.thedailystar.net

130 factories remain open in Ashulia on weekend

Photo: Palash Khan/File

A total of 130 factories in the Ashulia industrial area, where there is no worker unrest, remained open today despite the usual weekly holiday, due to pressure from work orders.

Md Sarwar Alam, superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, confirmed the matter to our Savar correspondent this noon.

He said that there are a total of 1,863 factories in the Ashulia industrial area, most of which are garment factories. Due to heavy work order pressure, production continued today in 130 factories, mostly garment factories.

"In these factories, there are no issues with the workers, and due to the high volume of work orders, the owners decided to continue production even on holidays," said SP Sarwar Alam.

SP Sarwar Alam said the decision to keep some factories open during the holidays was made by the owners to compensate for the losses caused by recent worker protests. About 30 percent of the total factories in Ashulia area operated today.

He further said additional law enforcement personnel were deployed in front of the factories to prevent any untoward incidents.

Worker unrest has been ongoing in the Ashulia industrial area for the past two weeks due to various worker demands.

Yesterday, a total of 219 garment factories were declared shut in Ashulia Industrial area so far today due to the labour unrest. Of these, 86 factories were shut by the authorities for indefinite period under Section 13 (1) of the Labour Act, and the remaining 133 factories remained closed as they declared a general holiday.

However, the 219 factories that were closed yesterday remain closed today.​

 

[Saif]

Bring back normalcy in the RMG sector

Understand and act to calm the frustrations in industrial belts.

www.thedailystar.net

Bring back normalcy in the RMG sector
Understand and act to calm the frustrations in industrial belts

VISUAL: STAR

We are gravely concerned about the ongoing unrest in our RMG industry as workers continue to protest in Ashulia, Zirabo, Savar and Gazipur over payment of arrears, better pay, job regularisation, increase of allowances and benefits, etc. According to the BGMEA, on September 12 alone, 219 garment factories in Gazipur and Ashulia were closed down due to workers' protests. Reportedly, in many areas, the protests took a turn for the worse as a result of unresolved negotiations with factory owners over their demands. Workers allegedly vandalised many factories; some of them were also set on fire. The question is: how has the situation come to this point?

According to industry insiders as well as some labour leaders, outsiders and political elements are trying to instigate the workers. It is imperative that, under the circumstances, a proper investigation is conducted immediately to identify the external factors responsible for the vandalism and destruction of properties. Owners have also pointed out that the industrial police are yet to start functioning fully in the industrial belts since the Hasina government was ousted around six weeks ago, fuelling safety concerns. This prolonged state of insecurity must be addressed by the interim government urgently, and the role of the industrial police—who have been used by successive governments to quell workers' protests—must also be re-evaluated to restore trust in the force.

Even if the allegations of external forces trying to create instability in the sector are true, we need to understand and address the underlying frustrations of the workers. During the 15 years of Awami League rule, we saw how the workers' legitimate demands were routinely disregarded. Last year, when the workers demanded Tk 23,000-25,000 as their monthly minimum wage, the government fixed it at Tk 12,500 in compliance with the proposal made by RMG factory owners. Sadly, many owners are still depriving their workers of their dues and aggravating an already volatile situation. Meanwhile, RMG factories are yet to institute an equitable mechanism for negotiations between workers and owners. Such practices must come to an end and workers' grievances must be properly addressed.

As production in a lot of factories remains suspended, there are concerns among the owners about financial losses they might incur, which will eventually affect our economy and the workers at large. There are, in fact, real reasons to worry as the disruption in production has already led many international buyers to cancel their trips to the country to finalise work orders for the coming seasons. Under the circumstances, we urge the interim government to act promptly to understand and act on the simmering frustrations on the ground. Its decision to review the workers' wage through the minimum wage board is a step in the right direction. The government also said it would consider inflation and the rising prices of essentials while reviewing the minimum wage, which is only the right thing to do. It also needs to take steps to improve security at the RMG factories, support the manufacturers in need, address the international buyers' concerns, and ensure stability and competitiveness in the sector.​

 

[Saif]

Labour situation in RMG sector improves

The labour situation in the readymade garment sector in Ashulia and Gazipur industrial areas improved on Sunday while fresh unrest occurred in the Dhaka metropolitan area on the day...

www.newagebd.net

Labour situation in RMG sector improves
Staff Correspondent 16 September, 2024, 00:09

Representational image. | New Age file photo

The labour situation in the readymade garment sector in Ashulia and Gazipur industrial areas improved on Sunday while fresh unrest occurred in the Dhaka metropolitan area on the day.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said that most of the RMG factories in Ashulia resumed operations on Sunday, and the situation remained nearly normal throughout the day.

They also said that all the factories in Gazipur were operational and that no untoward incidents occurred.

However, production was suspended in at least 15 factories in the Dhaka metropolitan area on Sunday due to the fresh labour unrest.

According to the BGMEA, out of 407 member factories in Ashulia, only 16 units remained shut due to the unrest.

Of the 16 factories, 6 were closed under Section 13/1 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 4 declared a general holiday, and workers at the remaining 6 factories declined to work after arriving in the morning.

Ashulia Industrial Police superintendent Mohammad Sarwar Alam told New Age that the labour situation in the Ashulia industrial belt improved on Sunday, with production resuming in almost all the RMG factories.

He said that a total of 18 BGMEA and BKMEA member factories remained closed under Section 13/1 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, while authorities at 4 factories declared a general holiday.

BGMEA statistics showed that all 876 member factories of the trade body resumed operations on Sunday morning and did not encounter any issues throughout the day.

According to the BGMEA data, authorities at 15 factories in Mirpur area in the city on Sunday forced to announce closure of their units due to the labour unrest.

More than hundred factories in the Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur industrial belts, particularly in Ashulia, have struggled to operate for over two weeks due to the ongoing worker protests.

The workers have been demanding increased attendance and tiffin allowances, the removal of certain mid-level employees, the recruitment of more male workers, and an end to the blacklisting of workers involved in last year’s wage hike protests.

On Saturday, the government, factory owners and labour leaders held a meeting at BGMEA headquarters in the city to overcome the situation.

During the meeting labour leaders assured that they would provide support to continue production in the readymade garment sector.

Trade union leaders also urged garment workers to return to their respective workplaces immediately in an effort to restore normalcy and prevent further disruptions.

At the meeting industries adviser Adilur Rahman Khan urged factory owners to keep their factories open, warning that troublemakers in any individual unit would be dealt with strict measures.​

 

[Saif]

Why this turmoil in garment sector

The recent labour unrest in the industrial belts in and around the capital city including Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur that led to the general holiday or closure of some 219 garment factories till Thursday last surprised many. It is not only garment factories but pharmaceutical, shoe and other

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Why this turmoil in garment sector
SYED FATTAHUL ALIM
Published :
Sep 15, 2024 21:38
Updated :
Sep 15, 2024 21:38

The recent labour unrest in the industrial belts in and around the capital city including Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur that led to the general holiday or closure of some 219 garment factories till Thursday last surprised many. It is not only garment factories but pharmaceutical, shoe and other industries have also been facing similar workers' agitation. The agitating workers in many cases came up with demands that were not raised before. For instance, in one garment factory in Ashulia, they demanded that there should be equal number of female and male workers in the factories. Despite the fact that the new wage structure is in place since January this year, the workers were demanding an annual increase in wage by 15 per cent, though just seven months back, it was settled at 5.0 per cent. But the workers placing such irrational demands, in most cases, reportedly, did not appear to be in a mood to sit with the management of the factories concerned for negotiations on whatever were their demands. On the contrary, they took to the street and resorted to street violence and attack on the garment units they worked for resulting in closure of many factories.

Similar stories were reported from pharmaceutical factories. However, the management of such industries (non-apparel) did try to resolve the issues with their workers at an early stage. But the situation was different in the case of garment factories. It is alleged that garment factory owners and industry leaders who used to have close connection with the erstwhile fallen regime tried to handle protesting workers even with genuine grievances in the same way that they did in the past. Obviously, that was through the use of force with the help of hired goons. But this policy is not supposed to work under the changed circumstances. In that case, those who allegedly pursued such strong arm tactics to suppress workers with legitimate demands were perhaps some Rip Van Winkles in the garment sector who failed to come to terms with the changed realities. As a consequence, the situation only worsened in the industry as it was rife with rumours that hit panic button among workers to resort to further violence and anarchy. However, as noted in the foregoing there were also instances of labour unrest that were not based on genuine demands, but meant to create chaos. In such cases, as reported by some garment workers, they were incited to agitation and violence by outsiders whom they were not acquainted with.

There is no question that the mass-student upheaval that unseated the immediate past regime has impacted different sections of the working people who think that they are somehow deprived and have a cause to fight for and hence demonstrate their strength to raise new demands. Also, there are others, who want to fish in troubled waters. They might be the beneficiaries of the past government who have a stake in destabilising the mainstay of the country's export sector. There is also the turf war over the lucrative jhut (garment waste) trade that has intensified with the change in political power.

So, whether the labour unrest in the garment sector arose out of workers' genuine demands or that it was the work of saboteurs out to create disorder should be found out before addressing it accordingly. The industry leaders must restore order in their own interest.

The police force that they would depend on so much during the previous regime to quell any labour unrest in their factories with an iron hand is still recovering from the trauma of September 5 revolution. And one should not fail to notice that in about every case of law and order issue, other supporting forces including the military have to come in aid of the police, an arrangement no doubt expensive. Understandably, the garment sector has a strong claim to the government's attention for the simple reason that their products make up more than 80 per cent country's exports. But given the fact that the current interim government which is only one-month-old and yet to fully organise itself, its response to every trouble may not be instant. The industry leaders need to understand this and not wait for the government's support to deal with day-to-day problems like in the past. It may be recalled at this point that in the beginning when the workers as well as troublemakers started to run riot in Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur, the industry leaders met with the interim government advisers a number of times seeking urgent strong action by the law-enforcement agencies. However, later they came up with the idea of conducting joint drives with help of the army, police and the BGB (Bangladesh Border Guard) and suggested the interim government accordingly. Thankfully, the joint drives have reportedly produced results with the arrest of some people (14 persons charged with instigating workers to create unrest). Meanwhile, the good news is, the majority of the garment factories except 49 units in Ashulia area reportedly started operation by Saturday as workers joined their duties. To maintain law and order, the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the Border Guard and Army personnel were found patrolling streets in the industrial area. Evidently, the wave of post-revolution uncertainties and instability that jolted society is gradually settling down. It is the unity of people that has made it possible. Every segment of society, the garment workers included, should own the change that has taken place and in this crisis time lend a hand so the nation may tide over.​

 

[Saif]

Almost all Savar, Gazipur garment factories resume

Nearly all of the roughly 407 garment factories situated in the Ashulia area under Savar upazila and Zirabo and Zirani areas under Gazipur were operational yesterday after security measures were beefed up centring labour unrests.

www.thedailystar.net

Almost all Savar, Gazipur garment factories resume

Nearly all of the roughly 407 garment factories situated in the Ashulia area under Savar upazila and Zirabo and Zirani areas under Gazipur were operational yesterday after security measures were beefed up centring labour unrests.

Around 15 factories were kept shut by the owners, who also announced that they were implementing a "no work, no pay" clause under the labour law.

Workers at some of the factories have been staging demonstrations for more than 15 days over different benefits and allowances, such as higher night allowances, tiffin bills, attendance bonuses and incentives for achieving production targets.

They also want factory authorities to implement a four-month maternity leave and provide light work to expecting mothers in their fifth month.

Other demands include senior officials refraining from using abusive language in factories and an end to the arbitrary termination of workers by factory authorities. Furthermore, they want due benefits to be paid as per the law if an employee resigns.

No untoward incident was reported yesterday.

Workers at some of the factories have been staging demonstrations for more than 15 days over different benefits and allowances

"I am hopeful that the factories that remained shut will reopen from tomorrow [Monday]," Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), told The Daily Star over the phone.

"Normalcy has been restored with improvements in law-and-order with the deployment of more police and army personnel," he said.

Law enforcers and labour leaders are holding talks for the reopening of the factories, which witnessed production losses over the last two months, firstly for the anti-discrimination student movement and subsequent labour unrest, Islam said.

The BGMEA has been assessing the loss of business during both periods.

Many factory owners will have to provide discounts and face order cancellations and expensive air shipments, he added.

AK Azad, chairman and executive officer of Ha-Meem Group, which has a garment factory at Ashulia, said his factory resumed operations from yesterday as law-and-order improved and workers rejoined their workplaces.

His factories were shut for 12 days in September and eight days in August because of the labour unrest and anti-discrimination student movement.

He is also assessing his losses and planning for recovery of the losses. His buyers have already expressed concern over the frequent unrests and production losses.

He said he has received a lesser amount of work orders from international retailers and brands targeting the upcoming winter season.

Normalcy has been restored at the garment factories and production is ongoing, said Md Towhidur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Apparel Workers' Federation.

The factory owners should fulfil commitments made to workers during the labour unrest, he added.

Amirul Haque Amin, president of the National Garment Workers Federation, echoed the same.

"It is business as usual at the industrial zone," he said.

Bangladesh's garment sector has overcome much more critical times and it is expected that the production losses can be recovered, Amin added.

Nazma Akter, president of the Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation, said factory owners should meet the legitimate demands of the workers.

She said production fell by a substantial amount in the garment sector in July, August and September.

These three months comprise the peak season for the shipment of goods for the upcoming Christmas period as well as the peak season for booking work orders for next year's summer, autumn and winter seasons.

However, many senior officials of international retailers and brands cancelled business trips and work orders, delayed factory visits, sought big discounts or expensive air shipments.​

 

[Saif]

Unrest emerges as a new threat to RMG recovery

The number of apparel work orders received by Bangladeshi companies from international retailers and brands for the autumn and winter seasons of 2025 dropped by nearly 10 percent compared to the past due to major shocks from the nationwide student movement and labour unrest in major industrial...

www.thedailystar.net

Unrest emerges as a new threat to RMG recovery
Labour leaders say owners should fulfil all logical demands

PHOTO : AKLAKUR RAHMAN AKASH

The number of apparel work orders received by Bangladeshi companies from international retailers and brands for the autumn and winter seasons of 2025 dropped by nearly 10 percent compared to the past due to major shocks from the nationwide student movement and labour unrest in major industrial belts over the past two and half months.

In light of the tense situation prevailing since July, major buyers pushed back planned trips or altogether cancelled factory visits, which led to a fall in the number of work orders for the upcoming seasons.

The months of July, August and September are not only the peak season for shipping goods meant for sale during Christmas to Western retailers, they are also the busiest months in terms of booking work orders for the next autumn and winter seasons.

However, that period coincided with an unprecedented breakdown in the law and order situation this year.

Production was severely hampered in mid-July, when the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government imposed a curfew and an internet blackout to quell the unrest stemming from the demand to reform the job quota system for public recruitment.

Ultimately, those measures proved futile. The Awami League government was overthrown by a mass uprising, with Hasina signalling the end of its tenure by fleeing to India on August 5.

After a new government was formed, led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, different demands started coming up from workers of numerous sectors.

Of them, garment workers started raising charters of demand and production was halted for nearly 15 days as employees agitated.

Thousands of garment workers came out on the streets in industrial belts like Ashulia, Zirani, Savar, Tongi and Gazipur while some allegedly engaged in vandalism and arson.

Factory owners then began to shut down units one by one to avoid any spillover from the unrest as well as to protect the production units and machinery from vandalism.

This was exacerbated by the fact that the law and order situation was practically non-existent following the changeover in power.

Members of the Industrial Police refrained from patrolling industrial areas as they feared for their safety given that police personnel were being attacked.

Alongside that, the police administration was being reshuffled following the change of government so almost all police stations were hamstrung.

As a result, factory owners dared not run their manufacturing units.

The factories could not be run properly even with the help of the army as it did not have any magistracy powers.

So, most factories in Ashulia, Savar, Zirani and Zirabo either remained shut or were vandalised by workers.

Finally, the factory owners had to turn to their ultimate weapon, shutting down factories under the clause 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, which mainly deals with the "no work, no pay" stipulation.


WHY DID THE UNREST TAKE HOLD AT THIS TIME?

Many may question why the unrest erupted when the nation was in such a delicate situation, especially considering that a new wage structure for garment workers came into effect in December last year.

However, the workers' standards of living have not improved significantly despite the hike in pay due to persistent inflationary pressure.

According to workers, union leaders, labour experts and factory owners, there were some other reasons behind the labour agitation.

During the latest spell of unrest, workers primarily raised demands to standardise tiffin and attendance allowances as different factories in the same industrial belt pay different rates.

Another demand from workers was to recruit males and females in equal proportion to remove "discrimination".

Moreover, influential locals, especially those with political links, also influenced workers to capitalise on the lack of law and order.

Alongside that, a struggle ensued to fill the power vacuum and take control of the 'jhut' (waste fabric generated during apparel manufacturing) business after the fall of the government on August 5.

At a view exchange meeting with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) this week, Major General Muhammad Md Moin Khan, general officer commanding of the 9th Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army, outlined three reasons for the unrest: instigation by outsiders, logical and illogical demands raised by the workers, and a turf war over the jhut trade.

Amid the unrest, the interim government said it may review the wage structure.

However, labour leaders said reviewing the wage structure is not the main demand of the workers this time.

Nazma Akter, president of Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation, said many workers had been laid off since the beginning of the movement in July. She also validated their demands, saying their standards of living were still not up to scratch.

The factory owners need to agree with the logical demands, including calls for social protection, removal of some clauses of the labour law, implementation of maternity leave and provident fund, and stopping abuse of female workers, for the greater interest of the garment business, Akter said.

Md Towhidur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Apparel Workers Federation, echoed Akter's sentiments.

Outsiders are also involved in the latest spate of unrest, he said. However, he added that many garment factories had not paid salaries timely, which was another trigger for the unrest.

"Usually, garment workers get a low salary. So, if they are not paid timely, how will they run their families and meet expenses such as house rent and tuition for their children?" he asked.

As an example, he said that some garment factories had not paid workers their salary for the month of August yet.

Last week, Amirul Haque Amin, president of the National Garment Workers Federation, said more than 400 garment workers were blacklisted by different factories for alleged involvement in the unrest.

As attendance of workers is registered through biometrics, either through fingerprints or facial detection, blacklisted workers cannot get jobs at other factories.

So, Amin said factory owners should wipe the names of those workers from the blacklist since they engaged in the unrest only to realise their logical demands.

At present, normalcy is being restored to industrial belts, particularly areas in Ashulia, Savar, Zirani and Zirabo, as security has been beefed up by deploying more members of law enforcement agencies.

Almost all factories in these areas were reopened by Sunday and production started as the workers re-joined their workplaces.

IMPACT OF THE UNREST

Not only have a certain percentage of work orders been diverted from local factories, but officials are also concerned about whether they can ensure the timely delivery of goods.

Consequently, Bangladeshi garment exporters will have to provide big discounts or opt for expensive air shipments to offset the time lost.

In some cases, work orders may be cancelled due to a failure to ship goods timely.

But in most cases, exporters will choose air shipment despite steep costs in order to meet the strict lead times and maintain smooth relationships with retailers and brands.

However, they know all too well that the profit margin will be dented significantly due to the increased costs of air shipment.

To ship goods via air from the Dhaka airport to any destination in Europe, exporters must pay over $4 per kilogramme of dry cargo.

However, it would cost less than 10 cents to send the same shipment to Europe through the Chattogram seaport.

The long-lasting disruption to production is the latest setback for Bangladesh's garments industry, which was already struggling to recover from the severe fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, persistent inflation, and the Red Sea crisis.

Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, president of the BGMEA, said that apart from a 10 percent decrease in work orders, nearly the same percentage of work orders have been diverted to other countries.

It will take time to recover the lost work orders and it depends on full restoration of the normal business environment, Islam told The Daily Star over the phone.

As many factories were struggling, the Bangladesh Bank helped them clear salaries for the month of August. Around 90 percent of units had paid salaries for August as of September 17, he added.

"We expect full normalcy to be restored to industrial belts and for business to go back to usual after workers rejoin their workplaces," the BGMEA president also said.​