The disbursement of allowances for retrenched workers in the export-oriented readymade garment, leather and footwear sectors – Bangladesh Government plans to disburse Taka 3,000/month to about 10 lakh workers for a three-month period over the next 2 fiscal years – will be on hold till the concerned association makes available the list of employees.
Media reports made this claim citing a senior official of the Finance Ministry.
Even though the ministry official underlined that concerned authorities can start disbursing the funds next month onwards, absence of list of retrenched workers, which the associations acknowledged could not be submitted to the Labour Ministry due to various reasons, has complicated the matter.
As the pandemic reached its peak in April-May, it’s assumed many workers have returned to work by now, reportedly underlined the President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Dr. Rubana Huq while adding, “We are also asking all BGMEA members to update their list of workers currently working in each factory.”
As per the BGMEA President, factories can submit a list in a structured Management Information System (MIS) format to the trade body, which will subsequently forward the same to the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment (DIFE) and the Labour Ministry.
Meanwhile, President of Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB), Saiful Islam, reportedly said LFMEAB is also preparing list of retrenched workers.
It may be mentioned here that as per the scheme, workers who were employed with any active member factory of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), BGMEA, LFMEAB and the Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BFLLFEA) up till February (this year) are eligible to receive money from this fund, which will be sent directly to their mobile financial service or MFS accounts.
