Hafsha Hossain :
Industrial entrepreneurs are asserting that meeting salary and bonus payments has emerged as a formidable challenge as Eid-ul-Fitr approaches.
Consequently, they are resorting to external loans, given the unavailability of funds from banks.
Traditionally, owners settle previous dues, salaries, and bonuses ahead of Eid.
However, in light of the current circumstances, they are committed to ensuring that workers’ dues are settled prior to the festival.
Notably, approximately 84 percent of the nation’s export earnings originate from the garment sector.
It can be said that the wheels of the country’s economy are turning in the hands of this sector.
The income from the major exporting countries of the ready-made garment sector has decreased in the eight months from July to February of the current financial year 2023-24.
All in all, the owners claim that they are in crisis.
On the other hand, the labour leaders say that the workers have to pay all the dues within 20 days.
Many factories do not pay 100%, even though they promise to pay salaries and bonuses just before Eid.
Due to the holiday, the demands of the workers cannot be settled.
Therefore, if they give at least 10 days before Eid, they can conveniently shop during work.
In this regard, Joly Talukder, general secretary of the Garment Workers Trade Union Center, told the New Nation that a full bonus should be paid to garment factories within 20 days.
At the same time, all dues, including half the salary for the month of April, must be paid.
Through this, the labouring brothers and sisters will be able to celebrate Eid well with their families.
And if there is any problem, then it should be solved in advance. No worker should be harassed.
The director of BGMEA told The New Nation that “currently, the garment sector is facing a tough challenge.
Utility costs have increased in factories, and wages have increased. The bank loan interest rate has also increased.
Still, the owner wants his workers to be happy. Because the factory is about workers.”
He said, ‘The owner does not want any factory to be destroyed.
Now our problem is quadratic.
Orders have just started coming in after the national elections.
Factory owners could not take orders for January.
Current orders will be paid in June.
But rising interest rates and utility costs have made things difficult for entrepreneurs.
The worker must have love for the factory.
But the situation is more difficult for traders working on sub-contracts.
They do third-party work, bring money, and then get workers. Sometimes they are late in getting payment.’
However, excluding these equations, the labour leaders have demanded payment of salary and bonus in all small-big or sub-contract factories before Eid.
Garment industry entrepreneurs say that the Ministry of Labour has fixed the minimum wage of Tk 12,500 for workers in the garment sector, which has been effective since last December.
But buyers did not come forward with this and did not increase the price of clothes.
Product prices have not increased; on the contrary, production costs have increased.
