Nearly 24% factories fail to pay Eid bonuses
However, factory owners claimed that they have almost cleared salaries and bonuses
Nearly 24% factories in Bangladesh have failed to pay Eid bonuses to their workers by Thursday – the deadline set by the government, according to data from the Industrial Police.
Half payments of April's salaries were made by 31% of factories, while almost 100% paid salaries for March to their workers as per estimate of the Industrial Police.
However, factory owners claimed that they have almost cleared salaries and bonuses.
Seeking anonymity, a top official at the Industrial Police told The Business Standard that said almost every factory has paid March's salaries and about 76% have cleared Eid bonuses till 8pm on Thursday.
He also hoped that the remaining factories would pay bonuses to their workers by Saturday as per the commitment of the owners.
Meanwhile, Faruque Hassan, president at Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said almost 100% of BGMEA member factories have paid their salaries and disbursed Eid bonuses till Tuesday.
Only five factories will clear festival allowances by Saturday, of them two located in Dhaka and three in Chattogram, he noted.
The BGMEA president also said workers of three factories demonstrated in Dhaka, demanding an extension of Eid holidays to 10 days from the announced 7-8 days.
Earlier, State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian had given directives to the owners of the industries and manufacturing units to clear the payments of Eid bonuses and salaries for March (full) and April (half) before the Eid vacation, scheduled to begin on 29 April.
