Online Desk  :   Around 170 factories are on the verge of closure due to the ongoing unrest in the industrial areas of Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur, said Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), on Wednesday. The law enforcement agencies have assured the safety and security in and around the industrial zones, helping the reopening of the factories tomorrow morning,” he said while addressing a press conference at the BGMEA office in Uttara area of Dhaka.

Meanwhile, the government deployed the members of the Bangladesh Army, police and industrial police in Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur areas on Monday night to safeguard the ready-made garment (RMG) industries. At least 167 factories were closed on Wednesday due to the ongoing unrest, however, these factories will resume operation on Thursday morning with the help of the law enforcers, he said.

Regarding the ongoing volatility, he said that a group of outsiders has been exacerbating the situation, while the internal issues of the RMG industries are relatively minor. The RMG makers have gone on a protest in the area, demanding regularisation of their jobs and unpaid salaries.  However, the factory owners said that those involved in the protests are not workers, rather job seekers.