The government has asked the garment owners to pay the workers’ festival bonus by September 28 and salary of the current month by October 2.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the “Crisis Management Committee” of the Labour Directorate held at the Secretariat on Sunday.
State Minister for Labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu chaired the meeting while officials of the concerned department, representatives of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), workers’ unions, law enforcement agencies and deputy commissioners of the districts concerned were present.
While briefing reporters after the meeting, Mujibul Haque Chunnu said, “Decision has been taken to pay garment workers’ festival bonus by September 28 ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja, while salary of the current month by October 2”.
“We have agreed to pay wages and festival bonus of the workers by the said period to avert any untoward situation,” said former first-Vice President of BKMEA Mohammad Hatem, who was present at the meeting. Earlier, the labour leaders called upon the garment owners to pay the workers bonus by September 28 from humanitarian ground and also to avert any Tuba-like incident.
In last Eid-ul-Fitr, around 1,500 workers of five factories of Tuba Group suffered the problems and they were compelled to stay at the factory buildings in demand for their payment during the festival day, they said.
They said that the garment workers are keeping the nation economically sound as garment export is the main source of the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
If the workers of the sector remain well, the wheel of the country’s economy will also run in full pace, they opined.
Calling upon the government to ensure payment of Eid bonus by September 28 and salary of the current month by October 2, they warned that they would not tolerate if any garment worker is deprived of getting wages and Eid bonus before the festival.
