Industrial Police has identified around 312 RMG factories problematic as they are feared not to pay wages and festival allowances of the workers in due time before the upcoming Eid. Fund shortage is suspected to be the main reason behind their inability to pay their respective workers. The finding was found in the monitoring report that was conducted by the Industrial Police for assessing the overall situation of the sector. In different part of the country’s industrial area, there are about 312 RMG factories, which may face fund shortage to pay their workers’ wages for the current month and festival allowances on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, an official of Industrial Police told the Dhaka Tribune quoting the monitoring report.
According to the report, of the total factories, 100 are located in Gazipur, 12 in Ashulia, 130 in Narayanganj while 70 others are located in Chittagong The zonal offices of the Industrial Police have already sent the data to the headquarters. “We’ve information that some factories may face problems in paying the workers’ wages and festival allowances in due time but I don’t want to disclose the number of the factories at the moment,” said Abdus Salam, director general of the Industrial Police. However, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) claimed that only 74 RMG factory may face fund shortage to pay festival bonus and wages in due time. “We’ve information about 74 factories, which may face trouble in paying wages and bonus for the workers,” BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim told the Dhaka Tribune. “Of the factories, 45 are located in Dhaka while rest 29 are in the port-city Chiitagong,” said Azim. He also said, “We are talking to the owners of those factories to resolve the looming problems before due time.” Meanwhile, RMG labour leaders have expressed their fear of unrest if the payment of the workers are delayed or remain unpaid. “Labour unrest, centering the payment of wages and festival bonus tarnish the sector’s image and that is why, the factory owners should pay in due time,” Sirajul Islam Rony, president of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League, told the Dhaka Tribune. He also said, “If the wages and bonus are not paid in due time, it would lead unrest in the sector as the workers’, like others, wait for this occasion to go their village home and meet their dear and near ones.”
