Paying workers their wages for the month of March has become a big issue for some garment manufacturers, who are already grappling with losses suffered due to order cancellations by the global buyers.
As per reports, as many as 370 garment manufacturing units were yet to pay the last month’s wages to their workers even as the deadline of 16 April fixed by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) has already expired.
Also Read: 16 April deadline over but many factories yet to pay workers’ wages
Under the given circumstances, the country’s apex garment makers’ body of the country, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has requested the Government to allow the industry take loan from the Labour Ministry-controlled Central Fund.
However, the BGMEA’s plea met with the Government’s refusal, which cited the Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015.
In a letter written to BGMEA President Dr. Rubana Huq, the Labour Ministry reportedly maintained that Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015 does not permit loan from Central Fund to pay workers’ wages.
BGMEA Vice-President Faisal Samad said that the association sought the loan from the fund created with the contributions of the exporters to pay due wages to the workers of factories that were facing financial problems for coronavirus pandemic in most of the countries including Bangladesh.
“It was created from exporters’ contributions for the welfare of their workers. It should be used for paying wages of workers of the factories that are struggling for the coronavirus outbreak,” said BGMEA Vice-President Faisal Samad underlining that Dr. Rubana is negotiating with the Government on this.
It may be mentioned here that amidst allegations that scores of workers have not been paid their March’s wages, Director General of DIFE Shib Nath Roy, issued a notification in this direction to inform the industry people of the Government’s decision that the entrepreneurs have to have the wages by 16 April, failing which garment exporters may face of punitive action.
