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Published : 04 Sep 2025, 01:09 AM
Factories at Nilphamari’s Uttara Export Processing Zone (EPZ) is set to reopen on Thursday, two days after a clash over a closure left one worker dead.
The Evergreen Products Factory (BD) Limited, where the unrest began, will reopen on Saturday.
The decision was reached at a meeting on Wednesday that ran from 3pm to 8pm at the office of the EPZ executive director, with representatives of workers, factory authorities, BEPZA, police, district administration and local political leaders present.
Additional District Magistrate Abdus Samad Sikder said, “Most of the workers’ demands have been accepted by the factory authorities. The factory has given us their word. They will comply with the demands.
“A written agreement between BEPZA and Evergreen will be signed [on Wednesday] to ensure the workers’ demands are honoured.”
Samad said workers will return to their duties once the factories reopen.
Speaking on the death of a worker during the unrest, he said: “It is truly a tragic incident. A life has been lost. We are all saddened by this. Discussions were held to ensure such incidents do not happen again.”
He added that the victim’s family had been given initial financial support by the company, while treatment was being arranged for the injured.
“The company has assured us that all dues for the dead and injured will be paid in accordance with the law. Beyond that, we will monitor the matter regularly.”
Workers at Evergreen, a wig and hairpiece factory, had been staging protests for several days over different demands. On Monday, the factory abruptly announced its closure.
On Tuesday morning, Evergreen workers gathered at the main gate of the EPZ, preventing employees of other factories from entering.
Police and security forces intervened to disperse the crowd, sparking a clash that left many injured.
Habibur Rahman, a worker at Eku International, a knitting factory, was among them. He was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Following the violence and the death, all factories at Uttara EPZ were shut.
