Apprehension is getting rife about oncoming labour unrest in about 506 of the garment factories located in Ashulia, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chittagong over payment of wages and festival bonus ahead of Eid.
A report by the Industrial Police carries such forewarning, as there have already been some outbreaks in factory areas even inside the capital.
The problem is accentuated by the fact that nearly two hundred of the apparel factories-mostly of smaller and medium sizes-have no bindings with any of the trade bodies in the sector.
Out of the 506 units, 225 are members of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), 83 listed with Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), 16 associated with Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) while the rest 182 not member of any of the three.
According to industry-insiders and officials, majority of these factories do sub-contracting, and in recent times, they are passing through tough times for lack of work orders amid persisting dilemmas generated by safety and compliance issues.
However, the labour ministry will sit tomorrow (Tuesday) with the stakeholders to work a way out of any outburst of this sort. Apparel makers and labour leaders and law-enforcing agencies have been convened for the consultation.
"We have already shared our findings with all authorities concerned, including concerned ministries, apparel apex bodies-BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA," Abdus Salam, Director-General of the Industrial Police, told the FE Sunday.
"We have also strengthened our monitoring to avert any unwanted situation," he added.
On the other hand, an intelligence-agency report identified nine reasons responsible for possible labour unrest ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival.
"Payment of wages and festival bonus, holidays, termination of workers, closure of factories, some ill-motivated right groups' activities and jhut business might create uncertainty in the readymade garment sector, which may result in labour agitation ahead of Eid," says the report.
No minimum wage structure is announced for the workers of spinning, knitting and dyeing sectors while the families of Rana Plaza victims are not properly compensated.
The intelligence report holds these two reasons responsible for the labour unrest in garment factories before the Eid.
Quoting some reports, Shahidullah Azim, vice-president of BGMEA, said they are also informed that about 250 factories might face labour unrest over wage and bonus issues.
Some 91 factories are located in the port city of Chittagong while the rest are in the capital city, he added.
Scarcity of orders is the main reason of those units' incapability of wage payment, he explained.
"BGMEA is monitoring all those units," he said.
Almost all factories have paid the June wages, while it is a matter of negotiation between the workers and the owners over the July payments, he said.
The apparel apex body has already given directives to all its member-factories to pay workers their festival bonus.
Meanwhile, National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) staged Sunday human chain in front of the National Press Club in the city to press their demand for payment of wages and festival bonus by July 20-a sort of ultimatum.
