Over 100 garment factories yet to pay March salaries: Police

As many as 105 out of 2,331 garment factories in the country are yet to pay March salaries to their workers, according to the Industrial Police, while 762 factories did not disburse Eid bonuses until Wednesday.

Of the factories delaying a payment of salaries, 74 are among 1,631 members of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and 31 are among 700 members of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).

The police data also show that nearly one-third of factories – including 605 BGMEA members and 147 BKMEA members – could not pay bonuses by Wednesday. 

Apparel industry leaders, however, claimed that the situation is a bit better than what has been shown in the police data. 

The BGMEA, in a press note on Wednesday, clarified that 98.84% of its member factories paid March salaries and 90% paid Eid bonuses within the day.

When contacted, BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim said they are hopeful that 100% of BMGEA factories will pay wages and bonuses to workers by Thursday. "Furthermore, over 80% factories are also expected to provide partial salaries for April by this time," he told The Business Standard.

The Industrial Police also revealed salary and bonus situations at factories of different other sectors. It said 346 out of 358 members of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association have cleared March wages and 240 of them paid the Eid Bonus by Wednesday. Regarding factories in EPZs, it said 99.71% paid salaries and 95.65% paid Eid bonuses.

The police surveyed a total of 9,616 factories in six sectors and found that 497 did not pay March salaries, as of Wednesday, and 6,3450 did not pay festival bonuses.