Ashulia Garment Workers’ Wage Protest Shuts 15 Factories

Garment workers are staging demonstration in Ashulia. Photo collected

Garment workers in Ashulia staged a road blockade on Thursday morning, demanding immediate payment of their due wages, which led to the closure of at least 15 factories in the area for the day.

The protest erupted in front of the Nasa Basic Complex, part of the Nasa Group, and quickly escalated into a blockade of the busy Tongi–Ashulia–EPZ road, disrupting traffic on one of the key industrial routes. Industrial Police later intervened, removing the workers from the road and restoring vehicular movement by around 10:30 AM.

According to police, the workers began gathering at the factory gate around 7:00 AM and sat in protest, halting transport and creating gridlock. Some protesters also attempted to persuade employees from nearby factories to join their demonstration, raising concerns of a wider industrial disruption.

Authorities of surrounding factories responded by declaring an unscheduled general holiday for safety. “Amid the unrest, 15 garment factories in the area have declared a general holiday today. The situation is now under control,” said Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan of Industrial Police-1.

Workers alleged that the Nasa Group had announced a four-day holiday from August 10 to 13, promising to clear their pending wages once operations resumed. However, instead of making the payments, the company extended the holiday by another four days through a notice posted at the factory gate.

The notice read: “Due to unavoidable circumstances, all departments and sections of the factory (except for those engaged in emergency duties) will remain closed from August 14 to August 18. Regular operations will resume on Tuesday, August 19.”

Angered by the delay and lack of payment, the workers took to the streets to press their demands. Many claimed they were struggling to cover basic expenses and had waited long enough for their dues.

Labour leaders in the area expressed concern that if the payment issue is not resolved quickly, similar protests could spread to other factories, potentially disrupting production in one of the country’s key garment manufacturing hubs.

The Ashulia industrial belt, home to hundreds of export-oriented factories, has long been a hotspot for labour unrest, often triggered by wage disputes and poor working conditions.

Police said they are maintaining heightened security to prevent further disruptions, while negotiations between the factory management and worker representatives are expected in the coming days to resolve the wage payment dispute.