Nassa Group workers in Ashulia, Savar have intensified their protests, blocking the Bypail-Abdullahpur highway this morning to demand overdue wages and the reopening of the group’s factories.
The protest escalated when some workers attempted to incite chaos, resulting in clashes with Industrial Police. Law enforcement used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd, while a worker injured during the incident was assisted by the army.
The closure of Nassa Group’s 16 factories stems from ongoing financial struggles exacerbated by the arrest of the group’s chairman, Nazrul Islam Mazumder, in October 2024. Nazrul was arrested in Dhaka’s Gulshan on charges related to the July Uprising that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
Since then, the group has been in crisis, with all its factories remaining shut and unpaid dues mounting.
Following the government change in August 2024, the group’s operations have been at a standstill. Nassa Group, heavily invested in the ready-made garment and textile sectors, owes Tk 8,677 crore to 22 banks and one financial institution.
Additionally, the company is behind on utility payments (Tk 30 crore) and has Tk 11 crore in pending wages for July 2025. With no funds to pay workers or reopen the factories, Nassa has appealed for government intervention.
To revive operations and protect nearly 25,000 workers’ jobs, the government is facilitating a Tk 165 crore loan package involving several banks.
Bangladesh Bank has been actively working with the banks to ensure that this loan package is secured, though Nassa has struggled to gain the trust of lenders due to its massive defaults.
