At least 122 ready-made garment (RMG) and textile factories across the country have not yet paid their workers' outstanding wages of February while only 422 factories have paid half of the wages of their workers in advance, according to an industrial police report.
According to the industrial police report, 30 factories have outstanding wages for January or earlier until on Thursday.
It also stated that 723 garment factories have not yet given their Eid-ul-Fitr bonuses.
The report stated that a total of 2,890 garment and textile factories under the BGMEA, BKMEA, BTMA and BEPZA are currently operational. As of 10:00am on Thursday, 2,768 companies have paid their February wages while workers of 30 more factories have outstanding wages for January or earlier months.
For this current month of March, 422 factories have paid half of their workers' salaries in advance. Although the workers' wages were supposed to be paid within the first seven working days of the next month, some factories have not yet complied, as per the labour law.
At least 2,167 factories in the ready-made garment and textile sectors have already paid their Eid bonuses while 723 factories, which is about 25 per cent of the total factories, have not yet paid.
According to industrial police sources, out of a total of 9,695 factories in the country, including jute mills and other industrial factories, a total of 6,673 companies have paid their Eid bonuses.
Of these, 1,835 factories have paid their March wages. March wages are still outstanding in 7,860 factories. This is about 81.7 per cent of the total factories.
On the other hand, the government has banned the owners of 12 factories from travelling abroad for not paying their workers' salaries and bonuses within the time set by the government. The owners of these factories will not be able to travel abroad until they pay their workers' salaries and bonuses.
