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Three trade bodies of the country's textile and readymade garment industries have requested their member factories to keep their factories closed on August 05 in observance of the July Mass Uprising Day.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) issued circulars separately in this regard on Saturday.
They said though it is not mandatory to keep factories shut on August 05 as per the country's labour law, factory owners have been urged to keep their factories closed on that day in line with the government's decision and to show respects to the martyrs of the July uprising.
In its circular, the BKMEA stated that confusion has arisen among factories following the government's announcement of August 5 as a general holiday in the middle of the year.
On July 2, the government, through an official notification, declared August 5 of each year as "July Mass Uprising Day," observing it as a general holiday to commemorate the historic mass uprising of July.
Textile and garment factories typically set 11 days of festival leave at the beginning of the year, in accordance with the Bangladesh Labour Act.
As the government declared August 5 a general holiday midway through the year, it was not included in the original holiday list, the circulars stated.
According to BGMEA official website, about 4500 factories owners are members of the trade body -- 40 per cent of them are knitwear and sweater manufactures, while the remaining 60 per cent are woven garment makers.
The BKMEA currently represents some 2540 knitwear factories owners, according to its official website.
Some 1858 mills are listed with BTMA -- 526 of them are yarn makers, 990 fabric manufacturers and the rest 342 are dyeing, printing and finishing mills.
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