Non-stop demonstrations over minimum wage hikes and an end to blacklisting have forced the closure of 670 ready-made garment (RMG) factories across three major industrial belts, idling more than 1.68 million workers, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said on Monday.
According to BGMEA figures reported by Somoy TV, of the 2,134 factories in five industrial zones, only 1,464 remained open. The shutdowns hit hardest in Gazipur-Mymensingh, Savar-Ashulia-Zirani and Mirpur.
In Gazipur and Mymensingh, workers walked out of 382 of the 836 factories, sending 883,472 people home without work. In the Savar-Ashulia-Zirani belt, 223 of 441 factories closed, affecting 743,650 workers. Mirpur saw 65 of 320 factories shut, leaving 53,450 workers idle. Narayanganj (197 factories) and Chattogram (314 factories) reported no disruption and continued normal operations.
The agitation centres on demands for a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, reinstatement of laid-off workers and an end to blacklisting of protesters. On Sunday the protests turned violent in several areas. Workers and police clashed; officers fired tear gas and sound grenades and pursued demonstrators. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) units were deployed in Savar and Gazipur as authorities struggled to restore order.
Photos and videos that circulated widely on social media on Sunday showed what many described as ruthless police action against protesters, drawing sharp criticism online and intensifying the sense of confrontation.
Faced with the unrest, factory authorities declared holidays in 529 factories nationwide on Sunday, including 177 in Savar-Ashulia. Police said they detained 49 people from Mirpur and Gazipur on charges of violence and sabotage; the arrested included leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations.
The closures come amid repeated government and industry calls to keep production running, even as worker groups insist that wage and job-security grievances remain unaddressed. With hundreds of thousands of workers now off the job and images of Sunday’s clashes still circulating, the situation in the garment hubs remains tense.