Narayanganj factories risk unrest, 90% of workers still unpaid before Eid: Labour rights leaders

Authorities of nearly 90% of the factories in Narayanganj have not yet paid salaries and bonuses to workers ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, said leaders associated with the labour rights movement.

"Even now, 90% of the factories in Narayanganj have not paid the salaries and bonuses. We have been demanding the payment of salaries and bonuses within 20 days of Ramadan. However, most industrial establishments will pay these salaries and bonuses on the 28th day of Ramadan, a time when workers are in a rush to return home," said Hafizul Islam, president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh's Narayanganj district branch.

"To my knowledge, salaries of workers in several factories in Kanchpur have been withheld for months. I am not aware of the names. In the BSCIC industrial city within the city, Crony Group's workers' salaries have been withheld for months.

"There are quite a few factories where workers have not received 1 or 2 months' salaries. They are waiting to settle all dues with Eid bonuses," he added.

He, however, said experience suggests the workers will not receive all their dues.

"And if salaries and bonuses are paid on 8 April, half of it will go to muggers, and the remaining half will be wasted purchasing goods at inflated prices," he said.

According to the Industrial Police, there is a risk of labour unrest in demand of the payment of Eid salaries and bonuses in 416 industrial establishments in the country, including 71 from BKMEA and 171 member establishments of BGMEA.

If labour unrest occurs in these factories, it will cause severe inconvenience to people heading home and disrupt normal life before Eid.

From December to March, at least 15 incidents of labour unrest related to salary and allowances occurred in Narayanganj, according to Industrial Police.

State Minister for Labor, Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, earlier, ordered the payment of workers' salaries and festival bonuses before the start of the Eid holidays. 

He also directed not to reduce the amount of leave compared to government holidays and not to lay off workers before Eid.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Hatem, the executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, also addressed that they have clear instructions that regardless of the crisis, workers' salaries and bonuses must be paid before the Eid holidays. 

"There can be no deviation from this. However, the reality is that it will be very difficult for many. Export orders are already low. There are various crises with banks among factory owners," he said.

The BKMEA executive president highlighted that the government owes them Tk6,000 crore in incentives, of which, only Tk2,000 crore have been paid, which is insufficient compared to the demand. 

"If the government does not release the remaining funds, it will be difficult for many owners to pay salaries and bonuses this Eid," he said.