40pc garment factories fail to pay festival allowances

About 40 per cent of the garment factories have failed to pay the festival allowances by the September 28 deadline set by the government, according to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
BGMEA has kept some 1,000 factories under its monitoring over payment of wages and allowances in the country.
The BGMEA monitoring cell has got report on 612 units which revealed that 60 per cent of the surveyed factories had so far paid festival allowances.
Earlier on September 21, the government set September 28 as deadline for paying the festival allowances that ended Sunday and October 2 for paying the wages for the month of September.
On the other hand, differing with the BGMEA, labour leaders said the percentage of factories paying the festival allowances may vary from 10 to 30 per cent.
"Many factories are struggling to survive following the decline in orders in recent times," Acting President of BGMEA Md Shahidullah Azim told the FE Sunday.
"About 60 per cent factories have paid the festival allowances since September 25 last," he added.
But he expressed hope that the rest units would pay the same before the festival holidays start.
Some 14 factories have expressed their inability to pay the festival allowances while there are problems over the wages in 13 units, he added.
"We are working in this connection," he said expressing his hope to resolve the crisis through discussion.
Combined Garment Workers Federation President Nazma Akhter said the percentage of the factories that have already paid the festival allowances is not more than 10 per cent. As many factories continue their payment until the last working day, nothing concrete could be said before that time, she added.
Echoing Ms Nazma, Bangladesh National Garment Workers Federation President Amirul Haque Amin said at best 30 per cent factories have paid the festival allowances.
Sirajul Islam Rony, another labour leader, said the number of factories not paying festival allowances is high inside the capital city especially in Mirpur, Malibagh and Mohakhali.   
There are some factories that are yet to pay the wages for the month of August, he added.

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