Garment manufacturers may shut more factories from Sunday under the ‘no work, no pay’ provision of the labour law if continued unrest disrupts work, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said on Saturday.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan announced the decision at a joint press briefing organised by the BGMEA and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) at the BGMEA office in Uttara, Dhaka.
He said 55 garment factories had already been closed under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, while another 92 could not operate on Saturday because of labour unrest in major industrial areas, including Ashulia, Savar and Gazipur.
Factories unable to maintain production from Sunday may also invoke the provision and remain closed, he said.
Section 13(1) allows employers to close establishments under specified circumstances, including illegal strikes, without paying workers wages for the period of closure.
The decision followed an emergency meeting of more than 1,000 garment factory owners from the two trade bodies earlier on Saturday to discuss the deteriorating industrial situation.
Khan said production had been disrupted in parts of Ashulia, Savar and Gazipur for seven to 12 days, raising concerns over export operations and Bangladesh’s reputation among international buyers.
He alleged that some groups were creating disorder inside factories, preventing workers from performing their duties and forcing others to leave their workplaces. There had also been incidents of groups gathering outside factories and throwing bricks and stones, he said.
Although many workers wanted to resume work in a peaceful environment, the prevailing insecurity was preventing factories from operating normally, he added.
The manufacturers urged the government to take immediate steps to restore law and order in the industrial belt and ensure factory security.
Owners to submit wage proposal Monday
Despite the unrest, the BGMEA president said the owners would submit their written proposal for a new minimum wage structure to the Minimum Wage Board on Monday.
The board, formed on November 1, held its second meeting last Monday, when the workers’ representative proposed a minimum monthly wage of Tk 32,000. Its third meeting is scheduled for November 16.
Meanwhile, a coalition of five labour organisations on Friday urged workers to remain calm and avoid activities that could disrupt the wage negotiations.
Labour leaders called on workers to join their workplaces and allow the board to complete the process, while urging factory owners to resolve disputes through dialogue.
The ongoing protests over higher wages have disrupted production in several industrial areas since last month, although the situation improved somewhat following the formation of the wage board.