Rights group urges payment of RMG workers’ dues by June 10
FE REPORT | Sunday, 2 June 2024
Bangladesh Garment Workers' Solidarity (BGWS) on Saturday demanded wage and festival allowance payment by June 10 ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
The rights group made the demand at a gathering in front of National Press Club.
BGWS president Taslima Akhter alleged that though over 80 per cent of the country's export earnings were coming from the readymade garment sector, workers often had to suffer during the two Eid festivals every year as many of the factories did not make timely festival allowance payment.
A good number of factories pay less than the basic amount as festival allowance and workers don't get sufficient time to buy new clothes and food as payments are made on the last day before the Eid holiday, she noted. She demanded full payment of May wages, festival allowance, overtime and other dues, if any, by June 10.
She also urged the government to take necessary measures so that transport fares were not enhanced before the Eid.
Meantime, Industrial Police in a meeting on the same day with leaders of textile and garment sectors called upon them to ensure timely wage and festival allowance payment before Eid to avoid any untoward situation.
IP in a statement said they identified a number of factories where problems might arise over wage and festival allowance payment. They requested the concerned trade bodies and factories to find alternatives, if they fail to make timely wage payment.
Earlier on May 15, the government asked all factory owners to pay monthly wages and Eid allowance to the workers before the Eid holiday.
State Minister for Labour Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury in the 18th meeting of a tripartite consultative committee (TCC) on RMG industry also urged the factory owners not to terminate any worker and announce lay-off in any units before the Eid-ul-Azha.