Tension keeps mounting at the readymade garments sector ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, as some garments factories are still uncertain about the payment of salaries and bonuses to workers. Sources said owners of more than 150 garments factories are still undecided over giving salaries and bonuses to their workers before the upcoming Eid. However, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufactures & Exporters Association (BGMEA), most garments factory owners have decided that the workers’ salaries and bonuses would be paid by July 4. BGMEA vice president Nasir Uddin Chowdhury said about 10 to 12 garments factories are yet to confirm whether they would pay the workers’ salaries and bonuses. He also said the BGMEA authorities are in talks with these factory owners and expressed hope that the matter would resolved soon. “We’re talking with all garments owners to pay the workers’ salaries and bonuses on time so that all RGM workers could celebrate the Eid with their families and relatives,” he added. Sirajul Islam Rony, president of the National Garment Workers’ Federation, said more than 500 small garment factories in Dhaka are still uncertain about paying salaries and bonuses to workers before the Eid. But negotiations are underway between the factory owners and workers, he noted. “We’ve demanded workers’ salaries for June along with Eid bonuses by the 20th day of Ramadan or June 26,” he added. Earlier, leaders of National Garments Workers’ Alliance and other labour organisations urged factory owners to pay salaries and bonuses to their workers by June 26. They were speaking at a human chain programme in front of the National Press Club. Leaders and members of the Bangladesh Garments Industry Workers’ Federation were also present there. They claimed that the workers face immense pressure to meet the additional orders during Ramadan and ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. The government has already urged all RMG unit owners across Bangladesh to pay their workers Eid bonuses by the 21st day of Ramadan. All banks will remain open during July 2-3 in the industrial areas of Dhaka, Chittagong, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Savar to help factory owners disburse salaries to garments workers. Subhankar Saha, executive director of Bangladesh Bank, said it is still to be decided whether the banks would remain open on July 4. However, industry insiders said it is more likely that banks would remain open on that day. The government has already announced that public offices will remain closed from July 1 to 9 for Eid.
