Staff Correspondent

Approximately 100 factories in the Ashulia industrial area reopened on Wednesday, following a joint operation by the army and police, which provided security assurances to the garment industry. The operation was launched in response to recent unrest that had forced over a hundred factories to shut down.

Despite the increased security presence, some garment factories in Ashulia remained closed on Wednesday due to ongoing worker protests, according to Md Sarwar Alam, Superintendent of Industrial Police-1.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has called an emergency press conference to update journalists on the latest situation in the industry.

On Monday, workers from various factories in Ashulia’s Baipail-Abdullahpur area gathered outside their workplaces and staged protests instead of reporting for duty. Workers started protesting with various demands, an official from the Industrial Police said.

Although the joint army and police operation began on Monday night across the industrial zones of Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur to restore order, around two dozen factories in Ashulia remain closed. Some factories were being attacked by outsiders and workers were protesting with various demands.

Recent protests have seen workers block roads in Ashulia, demanding equal employment opportunities for men and women in readymade garment (RMG) factories, along with other demands.