1,500 factories yet to pay festival allowances: Industrial Police

Thousands of workers across the country's key industrial zones are still in uncertainty as 1500 factories did not pay festival allowances despite Eid holidays starting from tomorrow (Tuesday).

About 14.65 per cent, or 1,500 factories, under the jurisdiction of the Industrial Police (IP) across eight industrial zones in the country had yet to pay festival allowances until Monday despite the government's directive to clear the bonus by May 21.

Besides, 162 factories, including 92 textile and garment units, did not pay April wages before the Eid-ul-Azha holiday began, according to IP data.

According to the Industrial Police, 10,238 factories are currently operating under its jurisdiction in eight industrial zones - Ashulia, Gazipur, Chattogram, Narayanganj, Mymensingh, Khulna, Cumilla and Sylhet - excluding the Dhaka metropolitan area.

Of them, some 1,500 factories - including 409 textile and readymade garment (RMG) units and 1,091 non-RMG factories - had not paid festival allowances until Monday, the data showed.

Highest number of factories --771 in Narayanganj had yet to clear festival allowances, followed by 339 in Gazipur, 141 in Ashulia and 116 in Chattogram.

According to IP data, more than 12 per cent, or 220 factories out of 1,790 listed with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), had yet to pay festival allowances.

Among factories registered with the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), 126 units, or 17.80 per cent of 708 factories, also failed to pay the allowances.

In addition, 57 member factories out of 382 under the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) had yet to clear festival allowance payments until Monday.

The IP data also showed that six factories under the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) had not paid festival allowances by Monday.

Earlier, on May 14, Labour Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury instructed all factory owners at a meeting to pay festival allowances by May 21 and ensure timely monthly wage payments in line with labour laws to avert any untoward situation.

When asked, Additional Inspector General of Industrial Police Gazi Jasim said the percentage of factories that have non-payment issues is nominal out of thousands of industrial units.

Only 31.28 per cent or 3,202 factories have announced Eid holidays by Monday phase by phase, he noted, adding that though there are a few incidents over nonpayment among workers, they are monitoring the situation.

"We are in talks with factories, BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA over the nonpayment so that they make bonus and monthly wages before the holiday starts," he said.

Mr Jasim hoped that the factories would pay today (Tuesday) as they will remain open on the day.

He, however, said that though the number is not high, a good number of factories have made advance payment for the month of May.

Munni_fe@yahoo.com