Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury announced on Monday that Mainland Garments, part of the Nassa Group, will resume operations from 8 April, ending weeks of closure that had affected workers’ livelihoods.
The decision followed an emergency meeting at the Ministry of Labour and Employment with Nassa Group representatives and officials from relevant government bodies.
The meeting was convened at the direction of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman after factory workers staged a road blockade in Tejgaon on 5 April, demanding the reopening of the factory and resolution of pending issues.
Mainland Garments had remained closed since Eid-ul-Fitr, with company authorities citing financial difficulties.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury stressed the importance of keeping factories operational to safeguard employment.
He assured that the ministry would provide all necessary legal support to resume production.
The minister also urged workers to cooperate, including working additional hours if required, while emphasising that no employee should face harassment.
Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin added that a factory governed by a board cannot be closed due to individual absences or legal hurdles and called for timely action to protect workers’ interests.
Worker representatives pledged to maximise production once operations resume.
Nassa Group Vice-Chairman Ranjan Chowdhury highlighted financial and banking challenges faced by the company and sought government support.
The emergency meeting was also attended by State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Hoque, Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Labour Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarafder, and representatives from the ministries of home, law, finance, as well as BGMEA.
