Amid ongoing worker demonstrations demanding better pay, regularization of jobs, and a two-day weekend, production at around 10 garment factories and 20 pharmaceutical plants on the outskirts of Dhaka halted over the weekend.
The protests occurred in areas such as Savar, Ashulia, Dhamrai, and Gazipur. Industry leaders expressed concerns over the potential long-term impact if the strikes persist. M. Mohibuz Zaman, Managing Director of ACI Healthcare, suggested that the sudden unrest in pharmaceutical units, which began about 10 days ago, might be the result of a conspiracy. While management has promised to gradually address worker demands, including potential salary increases, the protesters have refused to return to work, causing significant disruptions to supply chains.
Mahbubul Karim, Executive Director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals, reported that his factory remained closed to prevent any incidents during the protests. Despite multiple discussions, workers insisted their demands be met within 24 hours. Similarly, Zahangir Alam, CFO of Square Pharmaceuticals, stated that their production units have been shut down since Saturday as workers were unresponsive to management’s requests. Square Pharmaceuticals employs 1,000 casual and 6,000 regular workers, and management has agreed to address the reasonable demands.
The Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries, led by President Abdul Muktadir, has sought government intervention to resolve the crisis.
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