Special Correspondent :
About 50 ready-made garments (RMG) factories have not paid their workers salaries and festival allowances even on Thursday, the last working day before Eid-ul-Fitr, ignoring the government’s directive.
Labour leaders said, all these factories are affiliated with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers.
“Owners of at least 50 factories have failed to pay wages and festival allowances up to Thursday evening. This has created huge resentment among the workers,” Samima Nasreen, President of the Swadhin Bangla Garment Sramik Federation, told The New Nation yesterday.
The Labour Ministry at a meeting last month asked the garment owners to pay wages for May to their workers in the first week of June and festival allowance by June 14.
“We have already talked with the owners. The issue will be settled peacefully,” said Samima, adding, “Owners have begged time saying that they will clear the workers’ due salaries and Eid bonus after Eid.”
“We want to find a solution… Hopefully, we will reach a consensus over the payment.”
When asked, Samima said the factories failing to make payment are located at Ashulia in Savar, Narayanganj and Chattogram.
Contrarily, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) claimed that 100 percent RMG factories have already paid Eid bonus to the workers.
“Workers of all the apparel units have already got their salaries and festival allowances,” said BGMEA President M Siddiqur Rahman at a press briefing.
The beefing was held at the BGMEA headquarters in Dhaka.
“There were problems in some 35 garment factories regarding payment of wages and bonus ahead of Eid. “BGMEA has negotiated with the factory owners to ensure the workers’ payment and finally they made full payment of their workers,” said M Siddiqur Rahman.
Rejecting the BGMEA’s claim, Samima Nasreen said, “We have a list of non-payment factories. We are ready to talk to the BGMEA for verification.”
BGMEA President M Siddiqur Rahman could not be reached for comment despite several attempts on his cell phone.
Admitting the mater, Sirajul Islam Rony, President of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League (BNGWEL) said, “There are problems in some garment factories regarding payment of wages and bonus ahead of Eid. But the number is very insignificant.”
