Published : 02 Nov 2026, 07:08 PM
Updated : 02 Nov 2026, 07:08 PM
Nearly 400 garment factories in Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur have declared a holiday amid violence and vandalism during protests demanding higher minimum wages.
The closures include 264 factories in Savar and Ashulia and more than 150 in Gazipur, authorities said on Monday.
Industrial Police also reported vandalism at eight factories.
Twelve police personnel were injured in clashes with workers, while two people were arrested.
Mohammad Muminul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Industrial Police-2 in Ashulia, said 264 factories in the Savar-Ashulia area had been closed.
The eight factories targeted were Pickard Bangladesh, Artistic Design, Janran Sweater, Ferrari Garments, Denitex, Anlima Textile, Al Islam Textile and GQ Industries.
Workers also set fire to a spot outside Artistic Design during a demonstration.
In Gazipur, Industrial Police-2 Superintendent Amjad Hossain said: “Workers are protesting today as well. During the demonstrations, they set fire to a police vehicle and vandalised buses and trucks. More than 150 factories have been given a holiday because of the workers’ movement.”
Since morning, workers from several garment factories have taken positions at different points on highways in Konabari, Safipur, Mouchak and Pallibidyut.
Police and Industrial Police have maintained a presence both along the roads and outside factory gates in the industrial belt.
Separately, workers from several garment factories blocked the Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000.
It was not immediately clear whether any factories in that area had declared a holiday. The protests continued into the afternoon.
