Fears of widespread labor unrest are mounting across Bangladesh's major industrial belts ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, as nearly a thousand factories have failed to clear workers' wages for April.
Industrial Police officials have warned that many factories, particularly in the garment and textile sectors, may struggle to pay both April salaries and mandatory Eid festival allowances on time. Authorities are urging factory owners and trade bodies to take immediate action to prevent roadblocks and disruptions during the holiday rush.
According to Industrial Police (IP) data covering 10,238 factories outside the Dhaka Metropolitan area, 937 factories (9.15%) had not paid April wages as of Thursday. The defaulting facilities include 325 textile and ready-made garment (RMG) units and 612 non-RMG factories.
During a crucial meeting with major trade bodies on Wednesday, Additional Inspector General of Industrial Police Gazi Jasim urged employers to clear all dues before the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. He warned against any pre-Eid layoffs and instructed IP unit heads to prevent workers from blocking highways, ensuring public suffering is minimized.
BGMEA Vice-President Rezwan Selim highlighted the need to strictly monitor subcontracting factories, which are often the most vulnerable to payment defaults. Meanwhile, BKMEA Director Md Belayet Hossain Ripon requested stronger night patrols in industrial zones and called for stricter control over "vested quarters" among labor leaders to maintain factory stability.
