About 32.34 per cent or 3,266 industrial units, including readymade garment (RMG) factories operating across the country under the jurisdiction of Industrial Police (IP) failed to pay wages for the month of February until Sunday as per the government instruction.
On the other hand, nearly 63.45 per cent or 6,408 factories have not paid festival allowance although the government issued an instruction to pay the same by March 12.
Earlier on March 03, Minister for Labour and Employment Ariful Hoque Chowdhury instructed owners of all factories to pay wages for the month of February to workers within the seven working days of this month (March 09) and to disburse their festival allowances by March 12.
Factory authorities have also been asked to pay half of the wages for the month of March in advance, following discussions between workers and the management.
The government also advised factory owners to consult with their respective workers and take decisions on Eid holidays.
According to IP data, a total of 10,100 units, including that of textile, garment and jute, located in Dhaka, Gazipur, Chattogram, Narayanganj, Mymensingh, Khulna, Sylhet and Cumilla, except for Dhaka Metropolitan city, are operating under the authority of IP.
About 67.66 per cent or 6,834 out of the 10,100 factories have paid wages for the month of February while only 3,692 units paid festival allowance until Sunday.
Some 907 out of the total 1,542 garment factories affiliated with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) under IP jurisdiction did not pay festival allowance until Sunday, according to IP data.
Some 469 out of 627 factories operating under the membership of BKMEA (Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association) and 222 under Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) did not pay festival allowances to their workers until Sunday.
A total of 88 out of 429 factories under Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) and 30 out of 76 jute mills could not pay festival allowance while the number is 4,692 for other non-RMG units, according to IP.
Some 393 BGMEA member units, 325 BKMEA, 158 BTMA, 10 BEPZA and four jute mills under IP jurisdiction did to pay February month's wages while the number is 2,376 for non-RMG units.
According to the ministry sources, the government on March 08 assigned an additional inspector general of police from the Industrial Police as a focal point to ensure payment of wages, festival allowances and other benefits to RMG workers ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
On Friday last, the labour minister also reminded factory owners to pay wages and festival allowances before the start of Eid holidays.
Law-enforcement agencies, however, made a list of around 266 factories, including 180 textile and RMG units, in different industrial zones as vulnerable to labour unrest, mentioning that those units might fail to pay wages and festival allowances before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.
Munni_fe@yahoo.com
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