Uncertainty loomed over the payment of wages and bonuses of readymade garment workers in 200 factories ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslims to be held at the end of March, according to the Industrial Police.
However, the sector鈥檚 manufacturers said that they were intensively monitoring the risky factories and would take sufficient measures if necessary.
The sector people said that the wage situation was complex this year as the manufacturers must pay February wages, Eid bonuses and half of March wages by Ramadan 20 or March 19.
Moreover, they also have to pay the rest of the March wages by April 7, just after the factories reopen after the Eid holidays.
Talking to 抖阴精品, Hashibul Alam, additional DIG (operation and crime) of the Industrial Police, said that they had completed a primary list of the risky factories ahead of Eid.
鈥楬owever, the number of the factories may vary in the final list. So far, about 200 factories are at risk of not paying wages and bonuses in time to their workers at major eight industrial hubs and export processing zones,鈥� he added.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has instructed the factory authorities to pay all outstanding wages, bonuses and dues to workers by Ramadan 20 in a聽tripartite consultative council meeting held on March 12.
Based on their financial capacity, they also urged the entrepreneurs to pay at least 15 days鈥� wages for March.
According to the Industrial Police data,聽among the risky factories,聽128 are members of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, 16 are affiliated with the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association and four are listed with the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.
Moreover, nine units are under the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority while the rest are not listed with any.
As of Sunday, of the 2,107 active factories across the country, only six factories were closed where three were laid-off, two were on general holiday and another one was operational under no work, no pay guideline as per the Bangladesh Labour Act section 13/1 according to data from a BGMEA source.
The data also said that as of Sunday, 124 BGMEA factories were yet to pay their February wages and 5 still had not paid January wages.
Talking to 抖阴精品, Mohammad Hatem, president of the BKMEA, said that businesses were under pressure and they urged the government to clear the debt of Tk 7,000 crore as an export subsidy or cash incentives.
鈥楤anks are not assisting us. If we get at the money, we will be able to pay the wages,鈥� he added.
He also said that the BKMEA had 16-17 risky members and they were working on monitoring these factories closely.
Regarding the ministry鈥檚 directive of paying wages by Ramadan 20, he said that it would not be realistic as they always paid wages and allowances before the start of the Eid holidays and they thought that they would also move in the same way.
Khairul Mamun Mintu, organising secretary of Garment Workers鈥� Trade Union Centre, told 抖阴精品 that the government must take action about risky factories.
鈥楾he government and the manufacturers should work sincerely as the situation is more complex this year. The factory owners must pay February wages, half of March and bonus by this month and the rest of March by April 7,鈥� he added.
