More than 150,000 garment workers have been pushed into uncertainty as a total of 327 factories have shut down in the industrial hubs of Gazipur and Savar over the past one and a half years. The closures, both permanent and temporary, are being blamed on a combination of the global economic slowdown, a sharp fall in export orders, rising production costs, and prolonged political instability.
The mass shutdowns have not only devastated thousands of families dependent on garment-sector wages but have also dealt a severe blow to the local economy, which grew around these industrial zones.
Mukul Knitwear Permanently Closed
Mukul Knitwear Limited, a 100 percent export-oriented factory located in Nilnagar, Konabari, Gazipur, has permanently shut its doors. The factory once employed more than 3,000 workers. Even after the global downturn reduced orders, founder Md. Moinul Islam Mukul attempted to keep operations running with 670 workers.
However, due to mounting production costs and a deepening financial crisis, the factory was officially closed on December 17.
Quality inspector Md. Sharif Hossain said 280 male and 390 female workers have now lost their jobs. “Most of them have no idea how they will run their families. Their future has become completely uncertain,” he said.
188 Factories Closed in Gazipur
According to Industrial Police data, as of January 21, a total of 188 factories in Gazipur have been shut down, either permanently or temporarily. As a result, 115,379 workers have become unemployed. Among them, 90,760 workers have lost their jobs permanently.
Several well-known factories are on the closure list, including 13 units of the Beximco Group, Dird Composite, Season Dresses, Polycon Limited, Textile Fashion, Standard Ceramic, La-Muni Apparels, NASA Group’s Liz Fashion, Swadhin Garments, and Mickeiff Apparels, along with many BGMEA-listed factories.
139 Factories Shut in Savar–Ashulia
Following recent political changes, 139 factories have closed in Savar and Ashulia over the past one and a half years. Of these, 67 have shut down permanently, while 72 are temporarily closed.
Nearly 40,000 workers employed at these factories are now jobless.
Factories that have permanently closed include Generation Next Fashion, The Dresses and the Ideas, Bashundhara Garments, Chain Apparels, NASA Group, South China Group, and Ethical Garments.
Temporarily closed units include Singer Refrigerator, Singer Electronics, FRM Fashion House, Hilton Apparels, and several others.
Workers and Local Economy in Free Fall
With factories closing one after another, most affected workers remain unemployed. Many have been forced to change professions, turning to rickshaw-pulling, daily labor, or small roadside businesses. Some have returned to their villages, while local residents allege that a few have become involved in criminal activities out of desperation.
Md. Idris Mollah, a landlord in the Kashimpur area, said, “Markets, shops, and rental businesses that depended on garment workers are collapsing. Many house owners took bank loans to build rental buildings, but now they have no tenants and are facing huge losses.”
Labor Leaders Express Deep Concern
Md. Ashrafuzzaman, Central Organizing Secretary of the National Garment Workers’ Alliance Bangladesh, warned of an unfolding social crisis.
“On one hand, factories are shutting down. On the other, no new factories are being established. Workers are being laid off every day. The situation in the Gazipur labor colonies is now extremely grim,” he said.
Industrial Police Cite Multiple Causes
Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Md. Amzad Hossain said the shutdowns are being driven by a mix of factors, including energy shortages, lack of cooperation from the banking sector, political instability, declining work orders, and the global economic crisis.
“These factory closures are creating a chain reaction. Local businesses and the financial sector are also suffering badly as a result,” he added.
