About 2,000 workers have lost their jobs after Bengal Shoe Industries, a footwear factory in Lakshmipur, closed for good. Many of them are still waiting for five months of unpaid wages.
The Bengal Shoe Industries closure has hit families across Raipur upazila, especially those who depended entirely on one income.
What happened
Bengal Shoe Industries operated for nearly two decades in the Rakhaliya area of Sonapur Union in Raipur upazila. The factory stopped production after its owners pointed to banking complications and financial difficulties.
The owners put up a notice at the factory gate on 15 May announcing the permanent closure. Workers had already protested before that, demanding that the factory reopen and their pending wages be paid.
Women workers face the toughest time
The closure has been especially hard on female workers. Many are widows, separated women or the only earners in their families.
Fahima Begum (a pseudonym) worked at the factory for around eight years. Her husband died about eight years ago, and she took the job to support her family. She earned Tk6,000 a month and now has to look after her two children and her elderly mother without any income.
“I have not received five months’ wages. I do not know how I will support my children and elderly mother now,” she said.
At least 15 workers spoke to the reporter outside the factory on Friday and described similar struggles. Many said their savings are almost gone.
Some male workers have found jobs elsewhere, but women are finding it much harder. “Many male workers have found jobs elsewhere, but young and middle aged women like us are not getting work,” said Zarina Begum, a worker from Sonapur.
She said workers contacted the BSCIC Industrial Estate, but nothing was arranged. Another worker, Zahir Miji, said jobs in the area are limited and wages are low.
What the owner and officials say
Owner Tipu Sultan said the factory ran for 20 years despite ups and downs in its finances. He said the owners were left with no choice after the back to back LC facility was discontinued and they faced banking complications.
He asked the government and the authorities to restore banking facilities, withdraw the layoff and allow the factory to reopen.
Raipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mehedi Hasan Kawsar said the authorities learned that the closure was caused by problems with banking facilities. He said several meetings were held to settle the unpaid wages, but the owners eventually announced the permanent closure.
Why it matters for the local community
Advocate Maruf Bin Zakaria, former vice chairman of Raipur Upazila Parishad, urged the government to step in. “Thousands of families depended on this factory for their livelihoods,” he said.
The closure has also affected the local economy. Workers and residents are now calling for the factory to reopen and for all pending wages to be paid.
For now, the people who kept the factory running for years are the ones left without work and without their dues.