Gazipur Garment Factory Suspends Operations Amid Ongoing Labor Unrest

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Authorities at Karani Fashion Ltd. in Gazipur’s Kaliakoir upazila have indefinitely shuttered operations, leaving approximately 8,000 workers displaced amid escalating labor unrest. The closure, which officially took effect on Saturday, follows a series of similar shutdowns across the industrial region that have unsettled the local apparel sector.

Management cited persistent labor dissatisfaction as the primary driver for the decision. According to Deputy Managing Director Mezbaur Rahman Khan, the facility will remain closed until the situation stabilizes, though he maintained that the move was necessary to address ongoing disruptions. The company’s formal notice indicated that production ceased abruptly on the afternoon of July 8, when garment workers refused to resume duties despite multiple requests from the administration. Consequently, the factory invoked Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labor Act to suspend operations starting July 11.

Workers, however, have challenged the management’s narrative, citing financial hardship as the catalyst for their protest. Employees allege that the company has been paying monthly wages in installments rather than in a lump sum, complicating their ability to cover rent and essential living expenses. Shafiul Alam, president of the Gazipur metropolitan branch of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, stated that workers had protested the irregular wage payments, prompting the management to respond with the total factory closure.

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Local law enforcement reported that the area has remained calm since the closure was announced. Kaliakoir Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahidul Islam confirmed that authorities are monitoring the situation to prevent further escalation.

The closure of Karani Fashion Ltd. is part of a broader trend of instability within Gazipur’s garment hub. Earlier this month, on July 1, the owners of Islam Garments Ltd. (Unit-2) in Konabari also declared an indefinite shutdown of their facilities. That same day, the Lithi Group suspended operations across five of its garment factories in the Bagher Bazar area, leaving thousands of additional workers without employment.