The government extended the curfew indefinitely starting from 6:00pm on Sunday and declared a three-day public holiday across the country beginning from Monday as at least 42 people were killed in clashes among protesters, members of law-enforcement agencies and members of ruling party-backed organisations in 14 districts.
Abdullah Hil Rakib, Vice-President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said that they would close their factories in accordance with the government’s announcement of general holidays. ‘However, we will try to hold a meeting with the government to seek permission to operate the units during the curfew and general holidays,’ he said.
‘In view of deteriorated law and order situation in the country and government declaration of three days holiday from August 5-7, all BTMA member mills will remain closed during this period,’ Bangladesh Textile Mills Association secretary general Zakir Hossain said in a text message. He said that the decision on opening of the mills would be taken based on the overall situation and further government declaration.
According to factory owners in Narayanganj, workers reported to work on Sunday morning and started production but some outsiders incited the workers to leave the factories. As a result, workers from Eurotex Knitwear Limited and IFS Texwear Pvt Limited left their workplaces and took to the streets.
Following this, workers in several factories located in Narayanganj BSCIC and Fatullah joined the protest, forcing other factory owners to declare a holiday to protect their establishments, according to Fazle Shamim Ehsan, Senior Vice-President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Hil Rakib said that production in some factories in Gazipur came to a halt as workers left their jobs after 3:00pm. An official from the BTMA said that the Outpace Spinning mill in Gazipur was set on fire by outsiders on Sunday afternoon.
