Most of the 3,536 garment factories did not pay monthly wages for May until Sunday, missing the government's deadline for meeting the obligation, officials said.
Only 766 garment factories or 21.66 per cent out of the 3,536 units located in Ashulia, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chattogram, Mymensingh and Khulna areas paid the monthly wage for May, they added. The units are under the purview of Industrial Police (IP)
Labour leaders and police said large units have paid the full month's wage while small and medium-sized ones paid partial ranging from 15 days to 20 days after discussing with their respective workers.
Garment and other industrial units within the Dhaka metropolitan area are out of the purview of Industrial Police.
Besides, 72.39 per cent or 2,560 garment factories have paid the festival allowance until Sunday afternoon, according to police statistics.
But the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said all its member factories have paid the festival allowance while 90 per cent of them paid wages for the month of May until Sunday.
On May 23, the government instructed the RMG owners to pay the festival allowance to their workers by May 30 and wages for the month of May by June 02.
The instruction came at the 42nd meeting of the Crisis Management Core Committee headed by state minister for labour Monnujan Sufian.
Some 791 garment factories are listed in Ashulia, IP zone one and a total of 0.433 million workers are employed there.
Only 132 garment factories or 17 per cent units in Ashulia have paid wages for the month of May while 99 per cent or 784 factories paid festival allowance, according to IP data.
The IP zone two, Gazipur accommodates the highest 1,345 garment factories creating employment for some 1.28 million workers.
Only 2.16 per cent or 29 units have paid wages for the month of May, while 45 per cent or 599 factories paid festival allowance, according to IP data.
Some 346 units out 697 garment factories in Chattogram under the IP zone three paid monthly wage while 73.17 per cent or 510 paid festival allowance.
About 38 per cent or 244 units out of 642 garment factories in the IP zone four-Narayanganj-paid monthly wage while 95.95 per cent paid festival allowance, according to IP data.
In Mymensingh, 17 per cent or 10 garment factories paid monthly wage and 46 units paid festival allowance.
The IP zone in Khulna has only five garment factories and they all paid monthly wages and festival allowance.
A total of 24.43 million workers are employed in the 3,536 garment units except those of Dhaka metropolitan area, it showed.
Out of total 3,904 non-RMG factories, some 33.99 per cent paid monthly wage within the government's deadline, while 68.62 per cent of the factories paid festival allowance until Sunday.
Some 1.90 million workers are employed in these non-RMG units.
Police said that a number of factories paid wages and other allowance after Ifter on Sunday, which could not be put in their database.
They expressed the hope that the rest of the factories would pay wage and other payment today (Monday), the last working day before Eid holiday starts.
When asked, BGMEA president Dr Rubana Huq said "Bonus has been given in all BGMEA factories. 90 per cent also paid May salary, and 150 factories will give salary today (Monday)."
The BGMEA has identified some 916 garment factories where problems might occur over wage and festival allowance issues, she said, adding 15 association teams in different zones visited those units.
"Ultimately, it came down to 600 factories, where we sensed problems. So we specifically worked with all these factories, mitigated issues of 65 factories, helped to close 28factories in the last one month and a half," she noted.
Responding to another question, the BGMEA chief said respective factory owners and workers would decide on the amount of monthly wage for the month of May.
In a meeting at the labour ministry, it was decided that the at least 20 days' wage would be paid.
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