The government has decided to keep the factories open during the strict lockdown, which will start from April 14 for seven days to curb the coronavirus spread.
The decision was taken at a virtual meeting presided over by Cabinet Division Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam on Sunday.
Mohammad Hatem, vice president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), confirmed the matter to Jago News.
At the meeting, the industry owners demanded the government allows them to operate the factories during the next lockdown, saying the workers will rush to village home if the sector is closed that will cause more rise in the infections.
A seven-day countrywide lockdown starting from April 5 ends today. However, restrictions of the lockdown will also apply to two days - April 12 and 13 - before the next lockdown.
For the last couple of days, the country has been witnessing alarming rise in coronavirus infections and deaths, prompting the government to take stricter measures to limit spread of the virus.
EAR/SU