Though there is a workers' biometric database system, majority members of the apparel apex body did not regularly update the required information, depriving the workers of financial benefits like insurance.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on February 10 re-issued two separate circulars, asking its members to update the database and keep service books.
Earlier on November 14 last year, it issued similar instructions but received poor response, sources said.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan in the circular said: "Biometric systems will play an important role in preserving workers' real statistics, while helping workers get different financial benefits, control jobs and irregular migration."
On the same day, in a separate notification, the trade body further instructed preserving service books of their respective workers mainly to comply with the labour law and ensure compliance.
"Some factories are yet to introduce the workers' biometric database systems despite its launching since 2013. And even most of the factories did not update the required information regularly regardless of the system," the BGMEA president said in the notification.
As a result, accurate workers' information is not available, which has been creating difficulties in claiming compensation from the central fund, financial support from employment injury scheme, education stipend for workers' children and treatment cost for deceased or injured workers and employees, he explained.
It has been observed that though each member factories collect service books from BGMEA, they do not comply with the requirement of information such as they do not return the books when workers leave or ask for the previous ones in time of new recruitment, read the circular.
As a result they are not getting the desired benefits of keeping a service book, it said.
Explaining the benefits, the BGMEA also said the books are also helpful in reducing unexpected migration.
Labour leaders, however, alleged that the trade body has been collecting information through databases and service books mainly to identify workers who participated in last year's wage protests.
According to Mapped in Bangladesh (MiB), a digital platform that mapped the export-oriented garment industry in Bangladesh, there are some 3,604 export-oriented readymade garment factories across the country as of October last year.
Out of 3,604 units, some 1,764 are members of BGMEA, 502 registered with Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and some 269 are listed with both the trade bodies.
A total of 1,069 factories are neither members of the BGMEA nor BKMEA.
The 3,604 factories created employment for some 2,842,701 workers -57 per cent female and 43 per cent male, according to MiB.
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