16 factories suspend operations

At least 16 readymade garment (RMG) factories in the country's major industrial belts, including Ashulia and Gazipur, suspended their operations on Sunday amid labour unrest over demands for increasing wages and other allowances.
According to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) sources, 10 factories out of 871 in Gazipur and Mymensingh areas suspended operations and four others in Savar, Ashulia and Zirani areas were closed on the day.
Two more factories in the Dhaka Metropolitan area-Mirpur 14 and Kachukhet - were also closed on the day.
When asked, Superintendent of Police Nurani Ferdous Disha said workers of Doreen garment protested and took to the street for some time and later they threw bricks and stones at nearby units.
When the workers of a factory namely Norban refused a call to join Doreen workers, they created a disturbance there by chasing and counter chasing between the two groups, sources said, adding that they also tried to break the gate of a factory, That's It of Hameem Group.
They said a couple of factories of Tushuka Group declared closure from Sunday following the Saturday protest of its workers over some demands, including annual pay hike, increase in festival and other allowances.
Tushuka Group hung notices announcing the closure on the front gates of its export-oriented factories in the Konabari area, they added.
Law enforcing agencies, including army and industrial police, later took control of the situation.
When asked, Fazlee Shamim Eshan, executive president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, alleged that workers of a factory vandalised nearby units which is 'unacceptable'.
The factory gate of That's It located in Konabari was vandalised to bring out the workers who were engaged in production works, he said, alleging that it seemed law enforcing agencies were not taking 'pro-active' role and this should be investigated as when they went to the spot, hundreds and thousands of workers gathered there by then.
Citing an example of the Mirpur-14 and Kochukhet area where two vehicles of police and army were set on fire, he said it can be assumed that workers might gather in front of the factory after the announcement of the closure of the unit following some incidents there.
Similarly, if workers of a factory vandalise another unit and force and instigate workers to come out, how the industry would run, he said.
Another factory owner questioned the 18-point agreement saying that it was said the factory would run peacefully after the agreement but the situation is not the same.

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