About 690 garment factories suspended production across Bangladesh on Monday, 2 November, The Loadstar reported1. Protests over the minimum wage spread, and roadblocks slowed export cargo heading for Chittagong port1.
The BGMEA, the main factory owners' group, says Bangladesh has more than 4,000 garment factories serving global brands3.
Amjad Hossain, the industrial police superintendent for Gazipur, said more than 150 factories in his area had closed on Monday1. At least 500 factories had shut on Sunday1. The Loadstar said the nationwide tally rose during Monday, to about 6901.
Workers demonstrated in Dhaka's Mirpur area, Ashulia, Gazipur and Tongi, according to The Loadstar. Police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were deployed, and clashes were reported1. The Daily Star reported clashes, arson and highway blockades in Dhaka, its outskirts and Gazipur on Sunday4. That was the day the government formed a new wage board4.
Workers want a monthly minimum wage of Tk30,000, about $2501. They also want food rations in factories, trade union rights, a judicial investigation into workers' deaths and an end to what they call unjustified lay-offs1. The minimum wage was set at Tk 12,500 in November 20232.
The new wage board is headed by a district judge and includes representatives of factory owners and workers1. Its formation brought no immediate end to the demonstrations, and roadblocks and closures continued1.
Shutdown hits two points in the export chain
The closures affect both production and transport. Factories may not finish orders on time, and finished garments may miss their booked vessels. Roadblocks are holding up trucks from Dhaka to the port1.
Forwarders may have to rearrange collections and bookings as cargo readiness dates slip, The Loadstar reported. Shipments that miss sailing cut-offs could face longer delays, and buyers trying to protect deadlines may consider more expensive airfreight1. There was no confirmed estimate of cargo delays, missed sailings or extra air transport demand1.
Chittagong handles over 70 percent of Bangladesh's export-import trade5. The sources reviewed gave no detail on rail movement or on whether inland container depot operations were affected.
Owners warn of longer closures
Factory owners have threatened indefinite closures if the protests continue1. The European Union is Bangladesh's largest regional apparel market2. It is going through severe instability, and buyers there are expected to purchase less, according to Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association1.
Ehsan said the movement was hampering production and exports. "Buyers are worried," he said1.
The European Union bought $19.06 billion of Bangladeshi apparel in fiscal 2025-26, about 49 percent of garment exports2. Knitwear exports were $20.62 billion and woven garments $18.08 billion2. Together they came to $38.70 billion, or about 80.6 percent of merchandise exports2. The sector employs about 4.2 million workers2. Production is concentrated in clusters around Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chattogram2.
What comes next
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman directed authorities to keep factories running nationwide and to protect lives and property during the protests, The Daily Star reported4. The sources reviewed gave no date for the wage board's next meeting or an award. They also gave no confirmed death or injury toll and no sign that a closed plant had reopened by Monday afternoon.
For buyers, the open question is how quickly production restarts and whether finished goods can reach the port before contractual delivery dates1.