Universal Menswear Limited in Adamjee EPZ, Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, declared a general holiday on Sunday after several workers, including women, suddenly became ill and fainted for a second consecutive day. The factory said about 90 percent of workers had reported for duty, but 15 to 20 fell ill around 8:30am, prompting the closure on safety grounds.

More than 50 women workers had fallen ill on Saturday in the second and third floors of the factory's new building, leading to an early shutdown that day. Workers said the number was higher, with some claiming more than 100 women became ill. Patients were sent to the BEPZA Medical Centre, Alif Hospital, Sugandha Hospital and the 300-bed hospital in Khanpur.

Management and BEPZA said the cause of the illnesses had not yet been confirmed and was being investigated. Factory officials rejected rumours among workers about seeing ghosts as an explanation. Industrial Police said intense heat caused several workers to become ill, while a BEPZA inspection found no direct sign of suffocation or breathing obstruction in the factory.