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Workers of the TNZ Group would be paid their due wages and other payments within the next seven working days.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment, in a statement, announced the decision regarding the payment of arrears of salary and service benefits to the workers of TNZ Factory.
“Arrears of wages and other dues of the workers will be paid within the next seven working days by selling the owner’s house at DOHS and a TNZ group’s washing plant,” read the statement.
As there is a consensus among all concerned about the payment of dues to the workers, the labour leaders will withdraw the siege program of Srama Bhaban in the city, it added.
Since the owner of TNZ Group is abroad, the process of issuing a red alert through Interpol has already been taken to bring him to the country, it said, adding atravel ban has been imposed against the group’s directors or those involved in the management of TNZ.
It further added that TNZ Director Finance will remain in government custody until workers’ dues are paid.
The decisions came at night, at around 10.30 pm, after hundreds of garment workers of the TNZ Group gathered at the Kakrail Mosque intersection in the city, demanding their due wages and other payments.
In a fresh wave of their protest, they marched towards Jamuna – the official residence of the chief adviser – at noon and gathered at the Kakrail Mosque intersection after police stopped them.
They were still there at around 9.0 pm despite the rain.
Talking to the FE, Nazmul, an operator of a garment factory of the TNZ Group, said some officials came to them after a meeting at the labour ministry and sought a couple of days to resolve their issue.
“But what does two to four days mean? We want a specific date to clear all our dues,” he said.
Workers have been protesting again since May 11 after they received partial payments of their dues before Eid ul-Fitr.
Mohammad Hatem, president of BKMEA, said they held a meeting at the shipping ministry on Tuesday evening with the adviser and decided to sell a washing plant of the TNZ Group and some property to pay the workers.
It might take a couple of days to arrange the money by selling the plant and property, he added.
A total of TK 200 million has so far been paid, while an additional TK 450 million would be required to clear the rest of the due payment, he noted.