Special Correspondent :
A section of export-oriented readymade garment (RMG) factories will reopen today (Sunday) in a limited capacity in line with the recommendations of a government’s high-level Taskforce.
“The member factories of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), located in Dhaka Metropolitan area, will reopen from today and Monday. Initially, they will run with a limited number of workers,” Abdus Salam Murshedy, MP, a member of the Taskforce,” told The New Nation on Saturday night.
He said, right now around 40 RMG factories are operating from Dhaka city. These factories will go operation from tomorrow (Sunday) with the workers living nearby areas.
“Workers who remain outside Dhaka, will not join their workplaces right now. They will join after the situation come to normal,” he added.
The government earlier formed the Taskforce to ensure proper disbursement of funds from the stimulus package that the prime minister announced and on setting factory reopening dates to keep the economy’s wheels turning.
Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has been made the chief of the Taskforce.
Salam Murshedy also said that garment factories in Ashulia, Savar, Dhamrai and Manikganj will reopen on April 28, 29 and 30 respectively, while the apparel units in Rupganj, Narsingdi and Kanchpur will reopen on April 30.
The units in Gazipur and Mymensingh will reopen on May 2 and 3 respectively. The cutting, sewing and finishing units will reopen from May 02, 03 and 04 respectively, he added.
“All the factories will go for gradual reopening in line with the Taskforce’s recommendation maintaining the strict COVID-19 compliance suggested by the Directorate General of Health Services,” he noted. Salam Murshedy, who is also the President of Exporters Association of Bangladesh, further, said that the Taskforce will not take the responsibility of the non-BGMEA and BKMEA member factories. The ministry of labour will take their responsibility.
When asked, he said, BGMEA and BKMEA member factories have already paid their worker’s March salary and they will get their April payment through mobile cash transfer. “In case of lay-off a factory, the workers will be paid off from the government’s welfare fund,” he said.
Commenting on the stimulus package, Salam Murshedy said, “The Taskforce has recommended it’s proper utilization and efficient implementation.”
“The Taskforce has already held a meeting with the government’s senior officials and forwarded its recommendations in this regard,” he said, “Besides, the Taskforce members are stetting together in virtual meeting regularly to implement necessary policy guideline of the package.”
“Knitting, dying and sample segments of the knitwear factories will reopens today with the workers living in the adjacent areas of their respective units,” said senior vice president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) He, however, requested the workers who are currently living outside Dhaka not to return to their workplaces now. The garment units will also gradually open after May 01, he said, adding they didn’t ask any units to call back workers who already left the capital or the industrial zones.
