264 factories shut amid Bangladesh garment workers protests; government accuses Awami League of conspiracy

Meanwhile, Bangladesh remained on edge on Monday as garment workers clashed with police at multiple locations across the country.

According to reports, police fired tear gas shells and used water cannons to disperse protesters.

Agitating workers allegedly hurled bricks at eight factories and set a covered van on fire in the Narsinghpur area.

Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Industrial Police-1 in Ashulia, confirmed the closure of 264 factories in a WhatsApp message to The Daily Star at around 3:30 pm.

Amid the continuing unrest, authorities declared a general holiday or suspended operations at the affected factories.

According to The Daily Star, workers at New Age Group factories first walked out at around 9:30 am, demanding that the minimum monthly wage be increased to Tk 30,000.

Protests soon spread to factories in Zirabo, Kathgora, Ghoshbagh and Narsinghpur.

Workers also gathered outside an Ananta Group factory before moving towards a Ha-Meem Group facility, where some protesters allegedly threw bricks and stones at police personnel, the newspaper reported.

Tensions escalated after protesters made two attempts to block the Nabinagar-Chandra highway in the Kabirpur area, disrupting traffic movement.

Police responded by firing tear gas shells and deploying water cannons to disperse the demonstrators.

Mohibullah Akon, assistant commissioner (land) of Ashulia Circle, confirmed to The Daily Star at around 9:45 am that workers had attempted to block the highway.

Meanwhile, Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, urged workers to maintain peace and stay informed about developments following the formation of the wage board.

"Negotiations over wages are beginning. We want the new wages to be implemented by December. Labour organisations currently have no role in this movement," he told The Daily Star.

Bangladesh is the world's second-largest apparel exporter after China and a major supplier to international brands, including H&M, Zara, Walmart and Primark.

Amid the escalating unrest, Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed alleged that attempts were being made to foment instability in the country under the guise of labour protests.

He warned that strict action would be taken against those involved in such activities.

"We want to say, in very strong terms – those involved in activities against the interests of workers under the guise of the labour movement, are involved in activities detrimental to law and order, or are involved in various conspiracies to create instability in the country by sparking unrest, they will be put down severely and legal action will be taken against them," he was quoted as saying by bdnews24.

The latest wave of protests comes just days before former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in India since her ouster amid the 2024 uprising, is reportedly planning to return to Bangladesh.

On August 5, 2024, Hasina left Bangladesh after weeks of protests against her government culminated in her resignation, ending her 15-year tenure as prime minister.

Hinting at Awami League's role in the ongoing protests, Salahuddin Ahmed said forces backed by the ousted authoritarian regime are using innocent workers to create unrest.

"Many are seeking to pursue a different agenda in the name of labour movements and destabilise the country at the behest of forces across the border. The government will deal firmly with such conspiracies," he was quoted as saying by The Business Standard.