37 RMG factories at risk in N’ganj

Mustaq Ahmed Shawon :

As the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha approaches, concerns have emerged regarding salary and bonus payments in 37 garment factories in Narayanganj. Among them, 29 factories are facing a particularly tough situation due to the suspension of transactions by Premier Bank.

However, the BGMEA, Industrial Police, and other relevant departments are actively working to ensure that workers receive their wages and bonuses on time.

According to sources, all transactions for customers of Premier Bank in Narayanganj have been halted following a directive from the Bangladesh Bank. This has directly impacted 29 garment factories that are clients of the bank, raising uncertainty about timely salary and bonus disbursement for their workers. Additionally, eight other factories are facing difficulties due to various other reasons.

Mohammad Hatem, President of BGMEA, stated that the organisation is in constant contact with the owners of these 37 vulnerable factories to ensure that they are able to pay workers their due wages and bonuses on time.

He added that the issue with Premier Bank has been communicated in writing to the financial and labor advisors, the governor of Bangladesh Bank, and other relevant authorities. While the governor has provided some guidance, unfortunately, there has been no official response or concrete action from Bangladesh Bank so far.

Meanwhile, a joint meeting was held last Sunday at BGMEA’s head office in Chashara, Narayanganj, to address worker dissatisfaction in the garment sector and ensure timely payment of wages and bonuses. Representatives from garment factory owners, the district administration, the labor department, the military, the Industrial Police, and other stakeholders were present at the meeting.

Factory owners expressed concern that certain labor leaders are provoking workers on various issues to create unrest and exploit the situation for personal gain. They urged law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant to prevent such activities.

Regarding the matter, Additional DIG Asaduzzaman, Superintendent of Industrial Police in Narayanganj, said that surveillance has been heightened ahead of Eid. Their intelligence unit has identified 37 factories where there could be potential problems related to wage and bonus payments during this Eid.

He emphasized the need for a united effort to ensure that workers in these 37 factories receive their rightful payments without any unrest.