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Trade bodies of the country’s textile and apparel sector—BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA—have requested their respective member factories to remain closed on Wednesday in solidarity with the state mourning declared by the government following the death of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
Begum Zia passed away at 6:00 am on Tuesday. Following her death, the government declared three days of state mourning and announced a one-day general holiday on Wednesday (December 31).
In separate statements, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) expressed support for the government’s decision and urged their member units to observe the one-day general holiday on December 31.
However, BKMEA noted that industrial units fix their annual holidays at the beginning of the year in accordance with the Labour Act 2016 and the Labour Rules 2015, and that other government-declared holidays are generally not applicable to the industrial sector.
Nonetheless, as a mark of respect for three-time former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the trade bodies urged their members to keep their establishments closed on Wednesday.
Munni_fe@yahoo.com