DHAKA, April 18, 2020 (BSS) – Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) today claimed around 94.68 percent workers of their listed factories have been paid wages for the month of March so far.
“Some 23,41,000 workers out of the total 24,72,417 of BGMEA member factories have received the wages of March,” BGMEA told media today.
The apex trade body of the country’s apparel industry also claimed out of total 2,274 factories, some 2,056 factories (90.42 percent) cleared wages so far, although the government earlier directed all industry owners to pay their labourers wages by April 16. “We are trying heart and soul to disburse wages to the remaining workers shortly, as 9.58 percent factories are in the process for making payments,” said BGMEA.
The trade body said with Taka 27,000 crore of order cancellation which is equivalent to more than 6 months’ wages of entire sector, BGMEA members are trying their hardest and have ensured wages of 94.68 percent workers in spite of difficulties rendered by deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
Of the total 2056 factories, 315 in Dhaka cleared payments and 45 are in the process out of 360 factories while in Gazipur 734 cleared payments and 74 are in the process out of 808 factories, in Savar and Ashulia 435 cleared payments and 36 are in process out of 471, in Narayanganj 255 factories cleared payments and 14 are in the process out of 269, in Chattogram 279 cleared payments and 45 are in the process out of 324, and 38 factories in other areas cleared payments while 4 are in the process out of 42 factories, according to BGMEA.
Earlier, the government directed all industry owners to clear labourers’ wages by April 16 to avoid legal measures.
Meanwhile, Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) has made a list of 370 factories as salary defaulters across the country and sent it to the authorities concerned for necessary measures as they (factories) have failed to comply with the directives.
BGMEA on Thursday claimed it paid wages to around 87 percent workers of their listed factories while the remaining mostly belongs to small and medium factories.
“The remaining mostly belongs to small and medium factories that don’t have big buyers behind them,” said BGMEA President Dr Rubana Huq in a media statement immediately after the end of the deadline for payment of salary for the month of March.
Some 21,59,100 workers of 1,665 factories, Out of 2,274, were paid wages on that day.
“The BGMEA has already approached the banks for supporting the smaller factories, and those banks are also trying to cooperate,” said Rubana Huq.
“Without the buyers’ support, solving the issues of those smaller factories will be difficult,” she added.