Production returns to normal in Savar-Ashulia after five days of unrest, 80 percent of workers back at work

After five consecutive days of unrest and tension, the situation in the Savar-Ashulia industrial area has begun to return to normal. Most garment factories have been reopened, and around 80 percent of workers have returned to work.

Although Friday (6 November) was a weekly holiday, workers joined work at several factories. In Hemayetpur, Ulail and Padmar Mour in Savar, and in Narsinghapur, Baipail, Zirabo and Pukurpar in Ashulia, workers joined factories in queues. Security guards checked their ID cards at the time. Police were also monitoring the workers.

Production was running in a peaceful environment in the factories. No untoward incident took place anywhere. Traffic on the Dhaka-Aricha and Abdullahpur-Baipail highways was also normal.

From Saturday (7 November), the situation has improved further. According to HR departments of different factories, 80 percent of workers have joined work. They said this was the attendance on the holiday, and from Saturday attendance is nearly 100 percent.

In the morning, the authorities opened several garment factories located at different points along the Dhaka-Aricha and Abdullahpur-Baipail highways in the presence of law enforcement agencies. Workers were seen joining their workplaces spontaneously at the time.

Over the past few days, the situation in the Savar-Ashulia industrial area had remained tense due to workers' protests demanding a salary of 30,000 taka, highway blockades, and chases and counter-chases. Relief has returned among workers after a new wage structure was announced following the decision of the Wage Commission Board.

Shamima Parvin Shilpi, superintendent of police of Dhaka district, said that, as decided at the meeting of the Wage Commission Board in Dhaka on the prime minister's directive, workers will receive the increased salary for December in the coming January. Production has already resumed in many garments since last Thursday, following the Wage Commission Board's decision.

Security arrangements have been strengthened in the industrial area to avoid any kind of untoward situation. Alongside police, 13 platoons of BGB personnel have been deployed. Eight executive magistrates are also on duty.

In the past five days, seven cases have been filed at Savar and Ashulia police stations against several thousand miscreants over incidents of attacks and vandalism, and police have arrested 36 people in connection with the incidents. However, Savar Model Police Station officer-in-charge Saiful Alam said none of those arrested are workers.

Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police, said what happened over the past few days was not a workers' movement. Rather, fascists tried to show their failed strength and create an unstable situation through a movement targeting the police. In the past, too, they put the police face to face with the people and harmed the police. Members of the law enforcement agencies remain on alert to keep the situation under control.

A garment owner said a quarter had tried to fish in troubled waters centring on the workers' movement. Intelligence reports suggest collaborators of the fallen government are conspiring from hiding.

Because Friday was a holiday, several factories remained closed and a quiet atmosphere prevailed in Ashulia and Savar. But with attendance nearly 100 percent from Saturday, a calm environment now prevails in the industrial area.