84pc factories clear Eid bonus

Around 84 per cent of factories across Bangladesh completed distributing festival bonuses to their workers as of yesterday in anticipation of the Eid holidays which are set to begin today, according to data from Industrial Police.

Besides, about 53 per cent of all manufacturing units have paid their workers half their due wages for the month of April in advance as instructed by the government.

"Similarly, almost all garment factories have paid festival bonuses and 15 days' salary to their workers," said Nazma Akter, president of Bangladesh Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation.

"In many cases, garment factories are even paying salaries for the full month or at least 20 days," she told The Daily Star.

Monnujan Sufian, state minister for labour and employment, previously instructed industry owners to disburse festival bonuses and their workers' salaries for March and April before the Eid holidays began on April 29.

Sufian also asked factory owners to follow the dates set by the government for public holidays on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

"But if anyone wants to run their factory on an emergency basis, they should do so in consultation with the workers if necessary," the state minister said.

She then urged industry owners to ensure payment of their employees of at least 15 days in case they are unbale to pay the full salary for April.

"However, all arrears, partial or full salaries and Eid bonuses must be paid by April 28 as the public holiday starts on April 29," she added.

Sufian went on to say that the instruction was applicable for all formal, informal, public and private companies and enterprises.

Sirajul Islam Rony, a former workers' representative on the minimum wage board for garment workers, said all apparel factories have already paid festival bonuses to their workers.

Regarding the payment of 15 days' salary, he said many factories have done as instructed while others have paid that of 20 days or even of the whole month.

Echoing the same, Faruque Hassan, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said some 99.75 per cent of the garment units have paid their workers' salaries for 15 days of April.

In addition, the workers have been allowed staggered and zone wise holidays so that they do not face any transport crisis, Hassan added.

Industrial Police estimate that there are 9,176 industrial and manufacturing units across the country.

Their records show that there are some 1,615 members of the BGMEA, 685 members of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and 338 members of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.

Apart from those that manufacture textile and garment items, there are around 384 other factories housed in various economic zones of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority alongside 83 jute mills across the country, as per Industrial Police estimates.

In addition, there are some 6,107 industrial and manufacturing units in other categories across Bangladesh.