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Several workers fell ill at a factory in Narayanganj’s Adamjee EPZ for the second consecutive day on Sunday, triggering panic among employees and prompting the authorities to declare a one-day general holiday.
The incidents occurred at Universal Menswear Ltd in Siddhirganj. Shortly after workers began their shifts around 6am, several female workers reportedly became sick and some fainted. The affected workers were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Factory authorities said around 90% of the workforce had reported for duty on Sunday. However, after 15 to 20 workers fell ill around 8:30am, the factory was closed for the day as a precautionary measure.
Workers claimed the number of people who became ill was higher. Some were taken to the BEPZA Medical Centre at Adamjee EPZ, while others were admitted to Alif Hospital, Sugandha Hospital and the 300-bed Khanpur Hospital in Narayanganj.
The incident followed a similar episode on Saturday, when more than 100 female workers reportedly became ill while working on the second and third floors of the factory’s new building. Several workers received treatment at the BEPZA Medical Centre, and the factory was closed ahead of schedule that day.
Workers said panic spread after one female employee began behaving unusually before falling ill. Other workers subsequently became sick, with employees claiming that more than 100 women were affected.
Despite the two-day incidents, the exact cause of the illnesses remains unclear. Officials are examining possible factors including extreme heat, workplace conditions and ventilation.
Universal Menswear General Manager Billal Hossain said the factory was closed after 15 to 20 workers unexpectedly fell ill.
“We could not immediately identify the exact cause,” he said.
Addressing rumours that some workers had reported seeing ghosts, Hossain said a few employees had made such claims, but the factory authorities did not consider them credible. He said officials were investigating why workers had fallen ill at different locations inside the factory.
Mohammad Anwarul Haque, officer-in-charge (Intelligence) of Narayanganj Industrial Police-4, said several workers fell ill due to the intense heat and that the factory was closed as a precaution. Around 20 affected workers were sent to Khanpur Hospital, he said.
Nasrin, additional executive director of BEPZA at Adamjee EPZ, said several workers were treated at hospitals after falling ill on Sunday. Senior officials inspected the factory and found no apparent issues such as suffocation or restricted airflow during the visit.
She also dismissed reports of workers seeing ghosts as a possible explanation for the incidents, saying the actual cause was still being investigated.
The factory was kept closed on Sunday to ensure workers’ safety while authorities continued efforts to determine the cause of the repeated illnesses.