Garment and textile factories started to gradually reopen yesterday after being kept shut for four days with the expectation that all factories will reopen today.
Nearly 30 percent of garment factories, including some in Dhaka, were opened yesterday and no untoward incident was reported.
All factories will reopen today, SM Mannan Kochi, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said after a meeting with the home minster, who assured him of safety.
“We are hopeful that all the factories will reopen tomorrow,” said Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, over the phone.
He added that they were facing challenges in communicating with their foreign buyers due to an ongoing internet blackout.
Local liaison offices of international clothing retailers and brands have also complained of being unable to contact their headquarters and place new work orders.
Leaders of the garment and textile sectors have been lobbying the home minister and state minister for ICT over the last two days to ensure safety of workers and restore the internet.
They met the prime minister on Monday seeking to reopen factories. The prime minister advised to do so at their own risk.
Kochi added that the sector has already suffered losses amounting to Tk 6,400 crore in potential earnings due to the shutdown over the four days.
The factory owners will have to pay Tk 1,000 crore in wages although there was no production in the factories, he added.
Similarly, the losses in the garment accessories sector stands at over Tk 2,500 crore, Kochi also said.
The sector leaders were scheduled to sit in another meeting with the home minister last night.
Members of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association are also trying to reopen their factories but some have been barred by local administrations over safety concerns.
Meanwhile, many garment factories in Chattogram, except those inside export processing zones, have resumed production.
Law enforcement agencies and the local administration consented to the reopening in a meeting with leaders of the BGMEA’s Chattogram chapter on Monday, Syed Nazrul Islam, first vice-president of the BGMEA.
“Around 70 to 80 percent of the 450 factories currently operational outside the EPZs resumed production yesterday,” said Islam.
Law enforcers allowed workers with identity cards to enter the factories, he said.
“Production resumed at Klarion Designs located in Dewanhat area at 8:00am,” said Managing Director Altaullah Siddique Masud.
Around 95 percent of the factory’s 1,100 workers came to work, as most live nearby, he said.
The workers of a sister concern, MKM Designs, travelling to their factory on eight buses were stopped by local police at Kalurghat, he said. They were released after confirming where they were going, said Masud.
He said he was scheduled to ship 150 containers of jerseys to Spain by the end of this month.
“We already lost four days. Now we need our workers to do overtime to ensure timely shipment,” he said.
Meanwhile, many workers complained of having to pay double the transport fares to reach their factories.
Sultan Ahmed, quality in-charge at Uni Garment at Bayezid, said he had to spend over Tk 90 against Tk 40 on a regular day.
“Along with the production resumption, restoration of internet is also needed now to ensure timely shipments,” said Rakibul Alam, vice-president of the BGMEA.
