Ensure payment of wages and bonuses before Eid

In Bangladesh, it has become an unfortunate and recurring trend that many factories fail to pay their workers’ wages and Eid bonuses ahead of the holiday. The same situation was observed before the last Eid-ul-Fitr. There are also reports that MPO-enlisted teachers and staff do not receive their salaries and Eid festival allowances before Eid.

According to media reports published yesterday (May 22), MPO-enlisted teachers have not yet received the government portion of their April salaries. There is also uncertainty regarding the disbursement of their upcoming Eid-ul-Azha bonuses and May salaries. Similarly, many factory workers remain uncertain about receiving their wages and festival bonuses in time.

According to information obtained from the media, a human chain was formed demanding payment of due wages, Eid bonuses, and all lawful dues by the workers of the closed Unity Composite Mill Ltd (Drying) located in the Kutub Ayeen area of Fatullah in Narayanganj Sadar upazila. They formed the human chain in front of the Narayanganj Press Club last Wednesday morning.

There are still two weeks left before Eid. News like this has already started appearing in the media. It is feared that more such distressing news may come in the upcoming weeks. The Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, Professor Dr. Muhammad Azad Khan, has assured that teachers and employees will receive their May salaries and festival bonuses before the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. He told the media that the salary and allowance proposals would be sent to the ministry very soon.

The question is, why are workers and employees put in such an uncertain situation right before Eid? Eid is one of the most important religious and cultural festivals in the lives of Muslims. During Eid-ul-Azha, many people plan to offer sacrifices. Low-income individuals often share in the sacrifice with others. If, even two weeks ahead of Eid, they are uncertain about whether they will receive their salary and bonus, how can they make any plans?

We have seen that many factory owners show negligence toward the lives of their workers. Why is there such disregard for the very workers who keep the factories running with their labour? At the same time, teachers are respected members of society. Yet, because they are under the MPO (Monthly Payment Order) system, they face various forms of discrimination. It is by no means dignified for them to have to take to the streets to demand their salary and bonus before Eid.

Even if they do not take to the streets in protest, we know that many media workers in the country also do not receive their salary and bonus before Eid. This year, Eid-ul-Azha falls at the end of the first week of the month, so many institutions may choose not to pay the salary for June and instead offer only the bonus as consolation. However, the government holiday for this Eid is nearly 10 days long. Institutions must also consider what can truly be done with just a small bonus. From a humanitarian perspective, paying the June salary would be a great help to employees. It would allow them to celebrate Eid with their families in joy.

Our demand is that all government and private institutions pay salaries and Eid bonuses before the holiday. In particular, factory owners and the government must ensure that workers do not suffer any hardship in this regard.