Garment manufacturers today said they would shut down the factories if they cannot run operation smoothly due to the workers' unrest.

The production units would be closed under the section 13(1) of the labour law, which says the owners will not require to pay the workers if there is no work, they said.

Faruque Hassan, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), made the announcement at a gathering of garment factory owners held at the BGMEA office at Uttara in Dhaka.

Nearly 200 factory owners gathered at BGMEA's office to express their concern regarding the ongoing unrest in the garment factories over the last one week.

At the meeting, the participants expressed worries about the security and safety of the factories.

Some BGMEA leaders and factory owners are scheduled to meet Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan at his office in Dhaka today to inform him about the situation and to seek safety and security of the workers from the vandalism.