Following weeks-long worker unrest in the Ashulia industrial area due to various worker demands, most garment factories have reopened today, while around 49 factories remain closed as negotiations between workers and factory owners are ongoing. 

Of these, 36 factories are indefinitely closed under the 'no work no pay' provision of labour law. Some 13 factories have declared general holidays.

Md Sarwar Alam, superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, confirmed the development to The Daily Star this morning.

"Of the closed factories, most are garment factories, though some pharmaceutical and footwear manufacturing plants are also affected," he added.

He said that there are 1,863 factories in the Ashulia industrial area, the majority being garment factories and the situation in the area is significantly calmer today compared to previous days. 

"No labour protests were reported in the area today, and workers did not take to the streets," he also said.

Security forces, including the Army, Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, and industrial police, have been deployed to ensure the safety of the factories.

Earlier, on Thursday, a total of 86 factories in Ashulia were closed under Section 13/1 due to worker unrest, while 133 factories were declared to be on general holidays by the authorities.

Meanwhile, workers of Madinaple Fashions Craft Ltd, a ready-made garment factory in the Jamgara area of Ashulia, have formed a human chain in front of the factory today in protest against a case filed against 20 workers, who were accused of vandalising the factory and assaulting its officials.

The workers participating in the human chain demanded the withdrawal of the case, the reopening of the closed factory, and the dismissal of SK Khakon, deputy general manager (HR Admin), of the factory.