On Saturday, TNZ Group garment workers continued to demonstrate outside Dhaka’s Shrom Bhaban, calling for the payment of their Eid-ul-Fitr bonus and three months’ worth of unpaid salaries. Mostly spearheaded by female employees, the protest started early in the morning when they assembled close to the labour ministry to air their complaints while brandishing placards and singing catchphrases.
The protest highlights the ongoing struggle of thousands of ready-made garment (RMG) workers across the country, who are seeking timely payments and bonuses ahead of the upcoming Eid holiday. According to the workers, they are collectively owed an alarming Taka 17.78 crore in unpaid wages, bonuses, and other allowances, yet only Taka 1.05 crore was disbursed on 28th March.
In a press conference held at Shrom Bhaban, the workers detailed their outstanding dues. They reported that workers of TNZ Apparels Ltd. are owed over Taka 6.94 crore in unpaid wages for February and March, along with more than Taka 1.69 crore as their Eid bonus. Additionally, 826 employees of Apparel Eco Plus are owed a total of Taka 6.75 crore for salaries from January, February, and March, as well as Eid bonuses and other allowances. Similarly, 240 workers from Apparel Art Ltd. are owed Taka 2.04 crore in unpaid salaries and bonuses.
The protest intensified following remarks from Labour and Employment Adviser M Sakhawat Hossain, who suggested that the workers’ dues were being settled by selling factory vehicles from Apparel Eco Plus Ltd. The workers condemned this statement, asserting that they have been camped at Shrom Bhaban for five days in hopes of receiving their unpaid dues.
Despite the existence of tripartite agreements aimed at resolving wage and benefit disputes among the workers, owners, and the government, the workers claim that these agreements have been repeatedly violated by the factory owners. As the meeting between the workers and government officials continues, the situation remains tense as the RMG community awaits a resolution to their pressing demands.
