The committee, formed to settle the Swan Garment crisis, sought Tk1.39 crore as loan or help under Corporate Social Responsibility programmes from Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd to pay at least one month wage of the workers. A letter was sent to the bank authorities seeking the amount as per the decision made at the second meeting of the committee yesterday. Swan Garments mortgaged its properties to Islami Bank. It owed Tk42 crore to the bank. The government formed the committee to find solution to the payment of outstanding wages and other dues of over 1,300 workers of Swan Garments. In the first meeting of July 23, the committee also sought loan from the bank. But the bank rejected the request of lending Swan Garments as there was no legitimate heir to the factory properties after the owner had died. “We have urged the bank to provide Tk1.39 crore as loan or help under CSR to pay wages of the workers for one month,” DIFE Inspector General Syed Ahmed told Dhaka Tribune. “If loan is not possible due to legal complexities, I hope the bank will make it under CSR considering the human aspect of the crisis as the workers are suffering due to the non-payment,” he said. Syed Ahmed said they requested the bank authorities to settle the issue by Thursday. As per the committee’s assessment, the factory owner needs over Tk1.39 crore to pay wages of the workers. If the bank again denies to pay loan, there will have no option but selling four bighas of land located in Gazipur, which belongs to the owner of the Swan Garments, to pay the workers’ dues.
