Directive to pay workers’ wages by 9 March

Labour and employment minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has directed that workers in the country’s industrial factories be paid their February wages by 9 March. He has also instructed that Eid-ul-Fitr bonuses be disbursed by 12 March.

The directive was issued today, Tuesday, at a meeting held at the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka.

The 94th meeting of the tripartite consultative council (TCC) and the 23rd meeting of the tripartite consultative council on the ready-made garment (RMG) sector were held under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The meetings reviewed the overall labour situation in the country, addressed unrest in the RMG sector, and discussed payment of wages and allowances as well as leave approval for factory workers ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, according to multiple sources present at the meeting.

The sessions were chaired by labour and employment minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury.

Special guests included commerce minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, state minister for labour and employment Nurul Haque, and advisor to the prime minister on labour and employment Mahdi Amin.

The proceedings were conducted by labour and employment secretary Md Sanowar Jahan Bhuiyan.

The industrial police reported at the meeting that, of the 9,403 factories on their list, 287 ready-made garment factories were unable to pay wages during last year’s Eid-ul-Adha. This year, 180 RMG factories are at risk of labour unrest over concerns that wages and bonuses may not be paid.

The industrial police also stated that 747 factories nationwide were unable to pay January wages, including 357 RMG factories. In addition, 149 factories still have outstanding wages for November and December.

At the meeting, representatives of the workers’ side demanded payment of their February wages and bonuses ahead of Eid. They also requested either full or half of their March salary in advance and sought leave in line with government holidays. Concerns were raised over higher long-distance transport fares during Eid. In addition, an appeal was made to the government to extend maternity leave for female workers to six months.

Anwar Hossain, co-chair of the tripartite consultative council (TCC) on the workers’ side, said that, as in previous years, it should be ensured that workers do not have to protest on the streets. If wages are paid on time, there will be no need for street demonstrations.

At the event, Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said that the country’s export earnings have slowed over the past seven months. Many factory owners were unable to pay December and January wages, highlighting the severity of the situation. Under these circumstances, the demand for 15 days’ wages for March is unrealistic.

Fazle Shamim Ehsan, president of the Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, said that industrial factories have been in very poor condition for the past year. The situation has also been documented in various reports, and everyone must take it into consideration.

After hearing all parties, labour and employment minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said that workers’ February wages should be paid within the next seven working days, by 9 March, and Eid bonuses should be disbursed by 12 March. Factories may, at their own discretion and based on discussions between owners and workers, pay half of March wages in advance. Leave arrangements, he added, will be determined by factory management in accordance with labour law.

Ariful Haque Chowdhury further emphasised that owners and workers must coordinate to prevent public inconvenience during the Eid holiday. No worker may be laid off or dismissed without cause before or after the holiday.

In his address, commerce minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir noted that ration distribution for garment workers is underway. Work on family cards, as outlined in the BNP’s election manifesto, is progressing rapidly, which will benefit low-income families to some extent. He added that similar measures might be considered in the ready-made garment sector.

State minister for labour and employment Nurul Haque said that, given the current domestic and global situation, wages and allowances must be paid on time to avoid worker unrest. With the new government in office for less than a month, he urged patience in resolving long-standing issues and appealed to worker leaders to refrain from protests during Eid.

Mahdi Amin, advisor to the prime minister on labour and employment, said the government will take measures to ensure that transport fares do not rise excessively during the holiday period.