Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has alleged that former ministers, state ministers and members of parliament associated with a banned political organisation are instigating the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh’s garment sector.

He also claimed that some industrial owners were involved in the activities, saying the government had information and evidence supporting the allegations.

Speaking to journalists on Monday after a meeting with leaders of two garment industry owners’ organisations at the Secretariat, the minister said the government believed attempts were being made to deliberately create unrest while discussions were underway to form a wage board to determine minimum wages for garment workers.

He said industrial owners, labour organisations and their leaders suspected of involvement had been identified.

According to the minister, the owners’ representatives would submit a list of factories that had been deliberately shut down. The government had also requested the names of labour organisations and leaders suspected of playing a role in creating instability.

“We have information and evidence that some industrial owners with political backgrounds, who were associated with the banned organisation and at different times served as members of parliament, ministers or state ministers, are working behind this unrest,” Salahuddin Ahmed said.

He added that attempts to provoke unrest were taking place at a time when discussions were ongoing about establishing a board to determine minimum wages.

The minister said some industrial owners were regrettably involved, alongside individuals operating under the banner of labour organisations whose commitment to workers’ welfare had been questioned.

Salahuddin Ahmed warned that violence and attempts to destabilise the situation in the name of labour movements would not protect workers’ interests. Instead, he said, such activities would damage the country’s industrial sector.

He said legal action would be taken against those engaging in activities contrary to workers’ interests or attempting to create instability under the guise of labour protests.

Government Seeks List of Factories Kept Closed

At the meeting, garment industry representatives reportedly informed the government that some owners had deliberately kept their factories closed.

They agreed to provide the government with a list of the factories and their owners.

The minister said the government had also requested information about labour organisations and leaders allegedly involved in instigating the unrest.

He said the government believed that no genuine worker or labour organisation would engage in activities that ran counter to workers’ interests. He urged anyone who might have mistakenly encouraged or participated in such activities to withdraw.

Salahuddin Ahmed said the government would take a firm stance against attempts to destabilise the country. He also warned that any effort to create unrest through directions from across the border, whether to destabilise the situation or advance a political agenda, would be resisted.

Government Opposes Factory Closures

Emphasising the need to maintain production in the garment sector, the home minister said the government did not want any industrial facility to shut down.

He said the government did not want factories to remain closed even for a single moment and opposed any form of instability in the industrial sector.

Salahuddin Ahmed stressed that protecting workers’ legitimate interests while keeping industrial production running was essential. He reiterated that the government would take strict action against those attempting to provoke violence or instability in the name of labour movements.