Some factories yet to pay festival bonus, wages

As of 8:00pm yesterday, about 76.92 per cent, or 2,449 of the 3,164 industrial units in Bangladesh, have paid their workers' salaries for the first 15 days of June, according to data from the Industrial Police.

Similarly, 96.87 per cent, or 3,065 of the industrial units, have already paid bonuses to their workers on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

However, about 3.59 per cent, or 42 of the 1,624 units under the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), are yet to pay the bonus.

In a statement, the BGMEA said 100 of its member factories have paid the bonus.

The BGMEA also said that primarily, 300 factories were under monitoring for not paying their workers ahead of Eid.

Finally, some 25 factories were facing trouble in making payments to their workers, forcing the BGMEA to intervene and ensure that wages and bonuses were paid.

About 13 of the 699 factories under the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association could not pay bonuses to their workers either.

Likewise, 21 of the 359 mills of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association did not pay bonuses as of yesterday.

On the other hand, all 392 factories under the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority have paid the festival bonus.

Meanwhile, 23 of the 90 jute mills are yet to pay bonuses to their workers, the IP data shows.