Pay salary, bonus to RMG workers by 19 July: State minister for labour

State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian has directed the owners to pay the June salary and festival allowance to the readymade garment (RMG) workers by Monday (19 July) and to give Eid holidays for five days – from 20 to 24 June.

At a meeting held on Tuesday, the state minister suggested that people should not go to village homes during Eid to curb Covid-19 infections. Senior officials of the ministry, representatives of the garment factory owners and workers were present at the meeting.

The workers' representatives present at the meeting had mixed reactions to the minister's decision.

Sirajul Islam Rony, the president of the Bangladesh National Garments Workers and Employees League, said he did not disagree with the decision of the ministry.

However, Kamrul Hasan, general secretary of the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council, said some of their proposals had not been considered.

"We demanded a transport allowance of Tk200 per day for the workers during the Covid-19 period but no decision has been made in this regard," he added.

Mohammed Hatem, senior vice president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said, "All factories except one or two will pay the salary and bonus by 19 June, whatever problems prevail there."

As per a recent notice by the government, Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on 21 July and 19 July is the last working day. On the other hand, the fresh lockdown is starting in the country from 23 July.

So, people have to come to the workplace either by 22 July, the day after Eid or after 5 August.

However, the circular also said factories will be closed until 5 August.

The factory owners have already expressed concern over the closure of the factory for a long time. They hope the government's decision in this regard may change, which could lead to complications for workers in joining work after Eid, said BKMEA president.

"Workers are less likely to be infected if factories are open because they have less chance to stay out of the factory and home when factories are open. They may get infected when they go home," he added.

Among others, KM Abdus Salam, secretary, ministry of labour and employment and Md Nasir Uddin, vice president at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, were present in the meeting.