Ashulia back to life Apparel factories resume production after 4-day shutdown due to labour unrest,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Production resumed in garment factories at Ashulia yesterday after a four-day shutdown, but the presence of workers was thin.

Factory owners say many workers have gone to their village homes or are in search of jobs elsewhere following the shutdown of about 300 units in the wake of labour unrest over pay hikes.

On the first day at work after the shutdown, many workers did not return to the factories of the leading manufacturer, Ha-Meem Group, that employs 14,000 workers for its Ashulia operations, company officials said.

The group's seven units there make an annual turnover of $200 million, according to officials.

"However, normalcy is returning to our factories,” AK Azad, managing director of the group, told The Daily Star.

After a weeklong spate of street violence by the workers in the area demanding a pay raise, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) on Saturday announced a shutdown that began on Sunday.

The owners reopened their units yesterday following government assurances that the factories would be secured.

A shopkeeper at Ashulia, who witnessed last week's street battle between the garment workers and the law enforcers, said the area was calm yesterday.

“I did not see any problem,” he said.

Shahadat Hossain Kiron, managing director of Ashulia-based Dekko Group, said the presence of workers in his factories was relatively low yesterday.

Many workers had gone to their village homes or elsewhere to look for jobs after the factories were shut down, he said.

“I hope more workers will turn up from Saturday,” he said, adding that it would be difficult to recover the losses incurred due to the four-day closure.

“I am negotiating with the buyers about the shipment. I am not yet sure how much I will have to send them by air. But I think I will have to send a good quantity by air as I am committed to my buyers,” he said.

Contacted, Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, president of BGMEA, said he did not receive any report of unrest at Ashulia yesterday.

“Normalcy has returned to Ashulia after the owners reopened their units,” he added.