On Wednesday, over 80 factories in Bangladesh, including key players in the garment industry, were forced to close their doors due to security concerns arising from ongoing protests in industrial areas near the capital Dhaka. These closures come amidst efforts by the newly formed interim government to reassure investors following a wave of student-led protests that led to the downfall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last month.
Bangladesh’s garment industry, which accounts for approximately 85% of the nation’s $55 billion annual exports, has been significantly impacted by the unrest. The industry’s reliance on a stable supply chain presents a major challenge for Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate tasked with leading the interim government since Hasina fled to India on August 5th.
Hundreds of people took to the streets on Wednesday morning in front of factories, demanding improved wages and employment opportunities. This sparked the closure of several factories in the industrial districts of Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur. “Workers of some factories… started protesting and calling fellow workers from other factories to join the protest,” stated Sarwar Alam, a senior officer in the industrial police unit in Ashulia and Savar, to AFP. Alam reported that “around 80 factories” instructed their workers to take the day off.
While union leader Taslima Akhter acknowledged the legitimacy of some workers’ demands, she also expressed concern about potential agitators seeking to exploit the current unrest. “Some demands made by the workers were ‘just’ but also said elements were seeking to stir up trouble to ‘utilise the opportunity of discontent,’” Akhter said.
Protesters put forth a range of demands, including improved overtime pay and a more balanced gender ratio in the female-dominated industry. However, Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, deemed some of these demands “illogical.” These included calls for a fourfold increase in overtime payments and an equal proportion of men to women in factories. “If they come with just demands, we can discuss this on the table but they are taking to the streets instead,” said Hatem, attributing the unrest to “interest groups” aiming to harm the industry, without providing further details.
Workers in other sectors, including pharmaceutical, ceramics, and leather factories, also participated in the protests. “Protesters blocked the roads in two places in Gazipur area and hurled bricks,” reported Emran Ahmmed, a police officer in the Gazipur Industrial zone.
Bangladesh, the world’s second-largest clothing exporter by value after China, supplies many of the world’s leading brands, including Levi’s, Zara, and H&M. The ongoing unrest poses a significant threat to the country’s economic stability and the future of its vital garment industry.
