Most of garment owners pay salaries, benefits before Eid

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Refayet Ullah Mirdha
Most of the garment factory owners have completed paying the salaries and benefits to their workers on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr festival by Thursday as stipulated by the government.
Talking to the FE, vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Salam Murshidi said he was not informed of any unrest having taken place in the garment factories regarding payment of salary and bonus until the close of business Thursday.
"BGMEA has been closely watching the matter of payment of salary and benefits to the workers in due time set by the government," Salam Murshidi said.
"It is true that many owners of the sick units would not be able to pay their workers in the set timeframe. But most of the owners have already paid their workers," he said.
A source at the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DPEZ) told the FE that there were no untoward incidents in this particular apparel production zone ahead of the Eid festival related to payment of salary and bonus.
But, at least six garment and accessory manufacturing units declared production lay-off following labour unrest a few months ago.
"I hope that most of the laid-off factories will go into operation immediately after the Eid vacation when normalcy is restored through negotiation amongst government, owners and labour leaders," the DEPZ source said.
He said the security has been beefed up in and around the DEPZ to deter any move towards agitation.
When asked, a labour leader requesting the anonymity told the FE that many factory owners have not paid their workers until the government deadline Thursday.
"Since there is emergency rule in the country, the labour leaders might not go for any movement for realising the due salary and bonus," he said.
On the other hand, when asked secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Ashfaque Hamid Wednesday night said the ministry has been observing the situation meticulously.