The government has asked factory owners to pay the workers' wages and festival allowances before the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday starts.
State Minister for Labour and Employment Nazrul Islam Chowdhury on Wednesday also instructed the factory owners of all sectors not to terminate or lay off any worker before the Eid.
The junior minister was speaking at a press briefing after the 77th meeting with the representatives of the National Tripartite Consultative Council (TCC) at the labour ministry.
The meeting, however, did not set any specific date for paying the wages and festival allowance to the workers.
But the payments must be done before the start of the government holidays on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Fitr, reiterated the minister.
The workers' Eid holidays will not be less than the government declared holidays, he added. No worker can be terminated or laid off before the Eid, the state minister also said.
Representatives from factories, mills, trade unions and government high ups participated in the meeting.
Meanwhile, Industrial Police listed some 416 factories, including textile and readymade garment (RMG), across the country, except for Dhaka metropolitan area, as 'vulnerable' to labour unrest over payment of wages and festival allowance ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
People familiar with the situation said non-payment of dues, variety in festival allowance and workload are among other reasons that might fuel unrest.
Of the total 416 factories vulnerable, 271 are textile and apparel units. Some 171 are the members of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), 71 are registered with Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and 29 are affiliated with Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA).
The rest are non-RMG factories.
The IP has already informed the concerned trade bodies and shared the list of factories to keep an eye so that there is no untoward incident and make timely wage and other allowances payments.
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