Chittagong Bureau :
The ready-made garments (RMG) factories involved in preparing apparel products under the sub-contracting system have been running in the port city without compliance of the guideline of the authorities concerned.
This might trigger workers’ unrest as they do not provide wages and bonus of the workers in time as per the guidelines.
Nearly 50-60 garment factories are involved in sub-contracting business in the port city where they never follow the guidelines of the authorities concerned and do not ensure safety of workers and their rights in producing RMG products, official sources said. They said majority of the factories running as sub-contract are not members of two major apparel sector trade bodies viz. the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).
“Around 30-40 factories have no membership of BGMEA and BKMEA. Some 15-20 factories are engaged in sub-contracting but they have memberships of both the two major apparel sector trade bodies,” Tofail Ahmed Miah, director of Industrial Police-3, Chittagong, told journalists.
However, he said, a special force of the Industrial police have been deployed in all export processing areas in Chittagong to avoid possible labour unrest in the industrial zones ahead of religious festivals like Eid-ul Azha and Durga Puja.
Very few sub-contracting factories pay wages to the workers at the end of month, but most of the factories do not able to do that. If the owners of the factories fail to pay workers’ salary due time, the workers’ unrest emerge in the industrial zones.
“Factory owners do not terminate the jobs of workers although they have no work. If the workers are terminated, they could not be able to manufacture apparel products in time after getting new work orders,” Tofail said.
He said despite no works, the factory owners hold their workers, but they do not pay wages of their workers regularly.
Workers’ unrest may emerge again in Chittagong demanding payment of salary and bonus ahead of Eid-ul Azha and Durga Puja, he said.
Tofail said BGMEA and BKMEA or the government should come forward immediately to bring the RMG factories running as sub-contract under a strong surveillance to ensure the workers’ rights.
“The authorities concerned should formulate a regulation to resolve the ongoing problem. Otherwise, the RMG industry will face another setback in coming days,” he warned.
About the issue, BGMEA first Vice President Nasiruddin Ahmad Chowdhury said he is still not informed about the list of sub-contracting factories prepared by the Industrial Police.
