The agitating workers of Swan Garments Ltd might get their wages for one month on August 6 as Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited has agreed to provide Tk 1.39 crore as per the requirement of the government set committee to resolve the crisis. ‘The Bank on Monday primarily informed that it would provide an amount equivalent to one month of wages of the Swan Garments workers and the process will be completed by next Thursday,’ Syed Ahmed, inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, told New Age. He said that the amount would be provided as part of Corporate Social Responsibility as it would not be possible for the bank to provide loan against the Swan Garments due to some legal complexities. Syed said that the Bank would send a formal letter to the Labour Secretary confirming the amount by Sunday. A delegation of Garment Workers Trade Union Centre took part in a meeting with the committee to resolve the Swan crisis at Shrama Bhaban in the city on Thursday. Following the meeting, Kazi Mohammad Ruhul Amin, general secretary of Garment Workers Trade Union Centre told New Age that the government set committee confirmed that the workers would get wages for one month on Thursday. Quoting Syed Ahmed, also the chief of the government set committee, Ruhul said that the workers of Swan Garments have been asked to receive one month of their wages on Thursday at 11am from Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Office. He said that the agitation programme of the Swan workers would be continued demanding dues for three months and other lawful benefits. Further programmes would be announced through a press conference which to be held in front of the Press Club today at 11am, Ruhul said. One of the high officials of the Islami Bank told New Age that though the funding for wages does not cover under the rules of CSR programme, the bank would provide the amount with the special approval from Bangladesh Bank and board of directors. ‘From the beginning of the crisis, the bank was positive to resolve the crisis but they could not provide loan against the company due to absence of legitimate successors as the owner of the company was dead,’ he said. 1,300 workers of Swan Garments have taken to the street from May demanding their wages and benefits for the months of February, March and April as the owners closed the factory unlawfully. The owner of the company Yuen Hon died on April 22 this year and later on factory authorities closed down the factory illegally imposing section 13/1 under the Labour Act 2006. The inspector general of the DIFE also said that the section 13/1 under the Labour Act 2006 would not be applicable in this case. The workers started sit-in programme in front of the National Press Club before Eid-ul-Fitar demanding their wages and benefits and for reopening the factory. At one stage, the government set a committee comprising with the representatives from the ministry of labour, commerce and home, bank, industrial police, and labour leaders to resolve the crisis as the owner of the company had died. The committee on July 23, urged the Islami Bank to provide a loan to pay workers’ wages and to restart the factory but the bank expressed its inability to provide loan without a legitimate successor. On July 28, the committee further asked the Bank to provide Tk 1.39 crore as loan, or as part of Corporate Social Responsibility, so that workers could get at least a month of their wages. After 19th day of demonstration, the workers of the Swan garments Ltd finally got assurance of receiving one month of their wages. The workers of Swan Garments on Thursday continued their sit-in programme in front of the National Press Club.
