Full payment of salaries and bonuses in all factories within Saturday: BGMEA

In view of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, the salaries and festival allowances of workers in the country's garment sector have been paid in most factories. This has brought relief to the workers and relieved the pressure on entrepreneurs. However, the factories that still have to pay salaries and bonuses will also pay them by Saturday (March 29). With this, the payment of salaries and bonuses to 100% of garment workers in all factories in the country will be completed by Saturday.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Administrator Md. Anwar Hossain said that the process was completed smoothly with the cooperation of all concerned government agencies, law enforcement agencies, banks, labor leaders, and others to pay the workers' dues.

BGMEA Secretary General Md. Faizur Rahman said that 99.53 percent of factories have paid their salaries for the month of February as of March 27. 83.20 percent of factories have paid their salaries for the 15 or 30 days of March. 94.78 percent of factories have paid the Eid bonus. And 0.47 percent of factories are in the process of paying the outstanding salaries for the month of February.

He also said that due to urgent shipments, some factories will pay salaries and allowances on March 28 and 29. BGMEA hopes that salary and bonus payments will be completed in almost 100 percent of factories by March 29.

BGMEA says that 445 factories have been brought under close monitoring from the beginning to ensure the payment of salaries and allowances. Due to their intervention, the dues of workers of about 100 troubled factories have been ensured.

In addition, at the request of BGMEA, the government ordered bank branches to remain open even on public holidays for the convenience of workers, which the concerned people also believe has helped entrepreneurs in paying salaries.

As per the instructions of BGMEA, workers are being given leave in stages between March 26 and March 29. So that the pressure of traffic congestion on the highways is reduced. In addition, Bangladesh Railway has started special trains for the convenience of North Bengal-bound passengers and special BRTC bus services have been started on the highways.