Factory closures in Narayanganj push hundreds into joblessness

More than 30 garment factories in Narayanganj have shut down over the past year, leaving hundreds of workers unemployed and many of them turning to criminal activities for survival.

According to the Department of Inspection for Factory & Establishment (Dife), the district has about 1,834 large and small garment factories. Of these, at least 30 have closed in the past year, including 10 major export-oriented units such as AST Garments Limited, Disney Sweater Limited, Fatullah Fabrics Limited, Master Textiles Limited, Avanti Color Textile Limited, Conway Knit Wear Limited, Bay Creation Limited, Mercury Knit Wear Private Limited, Knit Garden Private Limited, and La Maison Kachur Limited.

The closure of these 10 factories alone has rendered 5,297 workers jobless, while the shutdown of smaller ready-made garment factories and dyeing plants has pushed the actual number of unemployed workers even higher.

Rajib Chandra Ghosh, deputy inspector general of Dife, confirmed that the shutdown includes several export-oriented factories. Narayanganj District Industrial Police Superintendent Salim Badsha attributed the closures primarily to an order crisis, particularly among smaller factories dependent on sub-orders.

Narayanganj Garment Workers Front President Salim Mahmud said many owners fled after 5 August, leaving factories unable to pay wages and allowances. “Thousands of workers have lost jobs as businessmen abandoned their factories amid the crisis,” he said.

On the other hand, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) President Mohammad Hatem blamed the closures on Bangladesh Bank’s flawed policies, unethical buying practices of some international brands, and persistent gas shortages. “Some buyers refuse to pay full prices, forcing factories into short sales. If a shipment worth $550,000 is reduced to $250,000, it becomes impossible to survive,” he explained. He also noted that delayed shipments caused by gas shortages have forced factories into repeated losses.

As Narayanganj is one of the country’s largest industrial hubs, the wave of closures has created a severe unemployment crisis. Thousands of young workers, who had migrated to the city in search of livelihoods, are now struggling to survive, many falling into crime.

Narayanganj District Superintendent of Police (Crime) Tarek Al Mehdi warned that unemployment is directly fueling criminal activity. “This area is already crime-prone. When garment workers lose their jobs, their families fall into poverty. Women are drawn into prostitution, while men take up driving autos, theft, robbery, or drugs,” he said.

District Superintendent of Police Pratyush Kumar Majumder echoed the concern: “When people become unemployed, many turn to drugs or drug trafficking. We often find robbery suspects who were once garment workers. This pattern is increasing.”

With factory closures rising and workers forced into desperate measures, Narayanganj now faces not only an industrial crisis but also an escalating law-and-order challenge.