Despite clear directives from the government, nearly half of the country’s industrial units have failed to clear Eid bonuses for their workers, while one-fourth are still sitting on outstanding wages for February.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment had earlier instructed factory owners to clear February’s salaries by March 9 and Eid bonuses by March 12. However, data from the Industrial Police reveals that as of Monday, these deadlines have been largely ignored by a significant number of employers.
According to the Industrial Police, which monitors 10,100 factories across the country, 2,544 units (25 percent) have not yet paid February’s wages. Furthermore, 5,007 factories accounting for 45.57 percent of the total are yet to provide Eid bonuses to their employees.
Earlier this month, following a tripartite meeting between the government, owners, and labor leaders, Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury issued the payment deadlines. To facilitate this, the government even arranged soft loans for export-oriented industries and released Tk 2,500 crore in cash assistance.
Despite these measures, workers in several areas have been forced to take to the streets to demand their dues, a recurring scene ahead of the Eid holidays.
Salahuddin Shapan, former Secretary General of the Industrial Bangladesh Council, alleged that some garment owners are intentionally delaying payments.
"They fear that if bonuses and February salaries are paid early, workers will demand a portion of March’s wages before leaving for the holidays," he said.
In Gazipur, the fate of over a hundred workers at HDF Apparels remains uncertain as the factory owner is reportedly untraceable. In Narayanganj, a potential crisis was averted after leaders of the BKMEA provided a Tk 30 lakh loan to a struggling factory to cover its payroll.
However, Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), expressed optimism.
"Banks in the industrial zones will remain open this Wednesday and Thursday. We expect most factories to clear all dues and start holidays by then," he told the media.
Data from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) shows a better track record for its members. Out of 2,127 active BGMEA-listed factories, only 37 are yet to pay February salaries, while 76 have not yet cleared Eid bonuses. Notably, 478 factories have already provided advance wages for the current month of March.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan stated that the organization is closely monitoring the situation. "If any factory faces last-minute difficulties, we will step in to find a solution," he assured.
The BGMEA further informed that the staggered Eid holidays would begin today (Tuesday) for 35 percent of its factories, followed by 45 percent on Wednesday and the remaining units on Thursday.