Owners of garment factories that face unrest or vandalism can keep those closed, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said today.

Addressing a press conference at the trade body's office in Uttara, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan asked the owners to shutter factories under Section 13(1) of the labour law, which means "no work and no pay" if they face any kind of vandalism.

"If the workers of the closed factories come and say that they will join the work shunning the unrest, the owners will reopen them for production," Hassan said.

Today, at least 130 factories were closed as workers have continued to demonstrate in industrial belts demanding the increase of their minimum wage to Tk 23,000.

Recently, the minimum wage board for garment workers has set the minimum salary at Tk 12,500 from Tk 8,000 now.

Union leaders have rejected the new wage.

The BGMEA chief also asked the workers to shun the unrest and go back to their work and requested the authorities to protect the factories.