Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Garment exporters have gone into manufacturing overdrive to recover from continual production disruptions over the past three months due to nationwide protests and curfews, the fallout from the ouster of the previous government, and the recent spell of labour unrest at major industrial belts.

The number of apparel work orders received by Bangladeshi companies from international retailers and brands for the autumn and winter seasons of 2025 dropped by nearly 10 percent compared to the past due to major shocks from the nationwide student movement and labour unrest in major industrial belts over the past two and half months.

Bangladesh will not export hilsa fish to India on the occasion of Durga Puja in October, according to a top commerce ministry official, discontinuing a long-standing tradition of the country as a “goodwill gesture” to its neighbour.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and Fair Labor Association (FLA) have urged the interim government of Bangladesh to take critical and long-lasting steps towards reforms for furthering worker rights of international standards. .The AAFA is an American trade association re

A total of 30 garment factories in different industrial zones across Bangladesh, especially Ashulia, stayed closed yesterday as safety concerns remained following the recent unrest.

Normalcy returned to most factories on the outskirts of Dhaka as labour unrest eased and most workers returned to their factories yesterday. .Garment factories in the Ashulia, Zirabo and Zirani areas have been reopening since Sunday..Of the 407 garment factories in these areas, 392

Nearly all of the roughly 407 garment factories situated in the Ashulia area under Savar upazila and Zirabo and Zirani areas under Gazipur were operational yesterday after security measures were beefed up centring labour unrests.

With 219 garment factories shut in Ashulia yesterday amid worker unrest along the industrial belts, Bangladesh’s apparel sector is feared to get into a deeper crisis if production does not resume on Saturday after the weekend.  

In an effort to bring normalcy back to the industries, the government will review the workers’ wage through the minimum wage board, the interim government has decided.

A lack of safety in foreign manufacturing and industrial units in Bangladesh, stemming from the debilitating law and order situation and labour unrest, has become a cause of major concern for foreign investors, denting their confidence.

Bangladesh aims to increase its merchandise and service exports by about 12.74 percent year-on-year to $57.5 billion in the fiscal year 2024-25, according to Finance and Commerce Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed.

The latest spell of unrest in the garment industry of Bangladesh will negatively impact its apparel exports as many international buyers are cancelling their trips to the country to finalise work orders for the coming seasons.

The central bank has just reconstituted the board of United Commercial Bank (UCB) for financial wrongdoings, but it has a darker past – a takeover at gunpoint by a politically influential family over a quarter of a century ago.

Bangladesh will become a major export market for soybean products as the changing dietary habits of its growing middle-income population are boosting demand, according to an expert on the industry.

Bangladesh’s dependence on the US for soybeans has been increasing, particularly after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, with local traders, millers and conglomerates diversifying their sourcing for uninterrupted supply of edible oil and animal feed.

The priorities of newly appointed finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed should be to make key financial institutions functional immediately, control inflation, and present accurate data on exports, imports, GDP and important economic indicators, economists said.

Almost all garment and textile mills have reopened after staying in limbo for four days as fears of vandalism and arson gripped the nation, industry leaders said yesterday. 

More than 200 garment exporters yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), seeking significant reforms within the trade body.

Garment factory owners yesterday decided to reopen their production units from today to ensure timely shipments as they are facing pressure from international clothing retailers and brands.

Garment exporters are expecting a strong recovery in exports and business as normalcy is being gradually restored with the changing political scenario.