As people gear up to celebrate the holy festival of Eid-ul-Azha on Wednesday, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) claimed that all the readymade garment manufacturing factories have paid festival bonus to the workers already.
“As far as we know, nearly 100% of RMG factory owners have paid festive bonuses for the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha,” reportedly maintained BGMEA First Vice President Moinuddin Ahmed at a press meet in Dhaka recently. He further added, “All the factory owners have also paid salaries for the month of July. Wages for the first 10-15 days of the current month have also been paid after negotiations with factory workers”.
It may be mentioned here that State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haq Chunnu had earlier asked the RMG sector to ensure that the workers’ festival bonus be disbursed by August 16.
The Government, in order to check any form of labour unrest regarding wage, bonus and dues, had also set up a control room in capital Dhaka recently. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) also claimed that factory owners in the industry had paid the Eid bonus.
“We did not face any problems paying bonus and wages for the month of July (and) we have also announced vacations for the workers,” reportedly stated BKMEA President AKM Salim.
Bangladesh’s apparel industry faces unrest around the festivals of Eid every year with owners bunking out and keeping wages and bonus of the workers due. However, during Eid-ul-Fitr last June, strict measures were taken; as a result of which there was only few sporadic incidents of unrest.