Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the apex trade body apex for apparel sector, is keeping a close watch on 530 garment factories fearing workers’ unrest ahead of Eid centring non-payment of arrear salaries and festival bonuses.
The Industrial Police (IP) has already prepared the list of the vulnerable garments units.
Of the total, some 276 factories are the members of BGMEA, according to IP.
Some 63 are registered with Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and 33 are affiliated with Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA).
Nineteen factories under Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) and the rest 139 non-RMG factories listed with the IP might also face unrest over non-payment of wages and other allowances, according to the IP data.
The listed units are located in the six IP zones, Dhaka except for Dhaka metropolitan area, Gazipur, Chattogram, Narayanganj, Mymensingh and Khulna areas.
“The crisis management cell of BGMEA is closely monitoring the factories to avert any untoward situation ahead of Eid,” said BGMEA senior vice president SM Mannan Kochi, adding, ” Ten teams have been formed to monitor the factories.”
Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday instructed garment factory owners to pay all dues, monthly wages and festival bonus by July 19.
State Minister for labour Munnojan Sufian made the instruction at a meeting of the Readymade Garment Tripartite Consultation Committee meeting held at Srama Bhaban in the city.
Leaders of Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association and representatives from trade unions, Industrial Police, among others, present at the meeting.
The minister also instructed factories to decide about Eid holidays through discussion with their respective factory workers in line with government Eid holidays.
