Sweater factory in Ashulia announces closure amid labour unrest

The Natural Wool Wears factory shuts indefinitely citing unrest amid assault allegations and worker safety concerns

A sweater manufacturing factory in Dhaka’s Savar has announced it is closing indefinitely amid ongoing labour unrest, sparking concern among its nearly 900 workers.

The announcement came on Saturday morning at the Gauripur-based Natural Wool Wears Limited, a concern of the Natural Group.

Workers arriving for work were shocked to see a closure notice pinned to the main gate.

The notice, issued by the factory authorities, cited continued unrest, illegal strikes, and forced work stoppages despite payment of wages and overtime.

It claimed that, for the safety of all staff and the facility itself, operations were being suspended under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006, effective from Saturday.

Hasan Ali, a jacket operator at the factory, said: “Although wages aren't pending, the management often delays payments. The salary for the 7th was only paid on the 25th. Overtime is supposed to be paid weekly, but we often get it after one to one and a half months. Annual leave allowances are sometimes delayed for two years.”

He said the workers had been staging demonstrations and work stoppages over these issues.

“On Thursday, when some workers left the premises, goons allegedly hired by the factory authorities assaulted several of them,” he added.

“Friday was our weekly day off. When we came to work today, we found a notice declaring the factory closed. The workers are furious,” he said.

Efforts to reach Syed Miladul Huda, assistant director (admin) of Natural Wool Wears, were unsuccessful.

Repeated phone calls to Md Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, the superintendent of Industrial Police-1 (Ashulia Zone), also went unanswered as his phone was switched off.

Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, said around 900 workers are employed at the factory.

“The management has a record of delaying payments for a long time. Some workers have alleged they were beaten by hired goons during recent protests. Today, they arrived at work only to find the factory shut,” he said.

The union is trying to reach the factory management to resolve the situation, Mintu added.