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‘Factories must pay workers wages, bonuses by 20th Ramadan’

Published : Monday, 17 March, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 545
Business Correspondent
Trade union leaders have urged the authorities to pay workers' salaries and Eid bonuses by 20th of Ramadan to avoid any labor unrest ahead of Eid-Ul-Fitr.

They also called for bringing all workers, including those in and outside export processing zones (EPZs), under a universal law to ensure equal rights.

Besides, the labour leaders demanded the withdrawal of all politically motivated cases filed against workers during the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

The made the call at a press conference jointly organized by International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Bangladesh Council), IndustriALL-Bangladesh Council and PSI-NCC for Bangladesh at National Press Club in capital on Sunday.

Speaking at the event, Secretary General of ITUC-BC Shakil Akhter Chowdhury demanded that all dues, including wages and bonuses, be paid by 20th of Ramadan and that no worker be dismissed or retrenched before Eid.

"If our demands are ignored, workers may become angry. In that case, the government and factory owners will have to bear the responsibility," he warned.

Shakil also made several recommendations on labor law reform, trade union registration, labor inspection, enforcement of laws, and addressing trade union repression, unfair labor practices, and violence against workers.

"The government must make progress reports on these four areas to the ILO every six months. However, its report claims that amendments to Bangladesh Labor Law must be finalized by March 2025, which is unrealistic. Trade unions have long argued that most of their recommendations remain unaddressed," he added.

Shakil claimed that the report highlights the 18-point tripartite agreement signed in September 2024 as a major achievement, but in reality, its implementation is not up to the mark in various industrial areas.

He said that the ILO Governing Body will discuss the latest progress report on the implementation of the roadmap to be submitted by the Government of Bangladesh in Geneva on March 17 March.

The roadmap was formulated by the government following complaints about violations of Conventions 81, 87 and 98 at the ILO meeting in 2019. However, despite several steps taken by the present government, the real improvement of the workers' rights situation in the country has not been visible so far.

General Secretary of IndustriALL-Bangladesh Council Shahidullah Badal urged owners not to shut factories suddenly. "From time to time, we notice that owners shut factories without paying wages before Eid or issuing any notice. It is a cause of unrest among workers. We want to avoid such practices by owners," he added.

PSI-NCC for Bangladesh President Monjurul Islam said although 18 demands were agreed upon by owners, the Labor Ministry and workers in September last year, only the demand for 120 days of maternity leave has been implemented.

"We want to be implemented all demands to ensure labor rights in the country," he added.



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