All units except Evergreen Factory in the Uttara Export Processing Zone in Nilphamari resumed operations on Thursday morning after two days of closure following Tuesday鈥檚 violent clash that left one worker dead.
On Tuesday, Habib Islam, a worker of a knitting factory Ecu International, was killed and 25 others were injured as law enforcers allegedly opened fire on workers during the clash between the law enforcers and the protesting workers.
鈥楾wenty-six factories have reopened today (Thursday). Evergreen will reopen on Saturday (tomorrow),鈥� said Uttara EPZ executive director Mohammad Abdul Jabbar on Thursday.
He said that about 35,000 workers were currently employed in the zone, with six more factories preparing to go for production.
The unrests erupted after authorities of the garment factory Evergreen announced an indefinite closure without settling workers鈥� dues following the dismissal of 51 employees. A Hong Kong national is the owner of Evergreen Factory.
All 27 factories inside the EPZ had kept their operations suspended until Wednesday following the incident.
Later, officials of the district administration, Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and law enforcement agencies, factory owners and political leaders held a meeting on Wednesday night and decided to reopen the factories in the zone on Thursday.
After the meeting, Nilphamari additional district magistrate Abdus Samad Sikder at a press conference said that the family of the deceased received some initial compensation and would be given the full amount they are legally entitled to.
Leaders of various political parties attending the meeting said that they had demanded that no cases be filed against any workers involved in the clash, and the authorities had agreed to their demand.
On Thursday morning, workers in groups were seen entering the EPZ by foot, on bicycles and motorcycles while the security personnel checking their identities.
Many of the workers expressed relief and happiness after returning to work.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad on Thursday at a protest rally in front of the National Press Club in the capital Dhaka called on the interim government to punish those responsible for the killing of the Uttara EPZ worker.