RMG leads job cut spree

NEWS DESK

At least 8,500 workers from 65 factories located in the country's six industrial zones have lost their jobs since the nationwide lockdown began, the police say.

Owners are terminating workers, defying repeated calls from the government and trade bodies to stop retrenchment during the Covid-19 pandemic, labour leaders alleged.

Of the factories, only nine are non-RMG (ready-made garment) while 46 are members of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, or BGMEA, and nine are of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, or BKMEA, show the police data.

One factory was under the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority, BEPZA.

The police recorded no termination by any member mills of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, or BTMA.

The highest 48 factories terminated a total of 6,430 workers from factories at Ashulia, followed by 10 in Gazipur and seven in Narayanganj.

It, however, recorded no termination in Chattogram, Mymensing and Khulna.

BGMEA president Dr Rubana Huq said they have also a list and on May 04 the trade body appealed to its members not to terminate or retrench any worker.

She also told the members to share the information whether any of their units have withdrawn retrenchment or not. She, however, did not provide any details until the report was filed at 7.30 pm.

The Labour Ministry on Sunday issued an official notice asking factory owners to implement the recent decisions that included no termination of workers or announcement of layoffs.

Workers and employees of garment factories that were closed during the public holidays will get 65 per cent of their gross salary for April.

The 60 per cent of gross salary would be paid for April to those who did not work, and the remaining 5.0 per cent would be adjusted with the salary of May. The workers who continued work would receive 100 per cent payment, however.

Meantime, the non-payment of the full wage for April, overtime and March arrears sparked labour unrests in different industrial zones on Sunday, officials said.

Hundreds of workers from 16 RMG factories located at Ashulia and in Gazipur and Chattogram protested on Sunday, demanding full-month wage payment for April.

The Industrial Police said a total of 3,829 industrial units remained open on Sunday. Of these, 1,601 are non-garment units, and 310 are under the BEPZA.

Of the units in operation, 1,344 are BGMEA members, 395 are registered with the BKMEA, and 179 are listed with the BTMA.

A total of 379 factories did not pay wages for March and other allowances until Sunday.

Of them, 248 are non-RMG, six BEPZA members and the remaining 125 textile and garment factories affiliated with the three trade bodies.

Besides, a total of 429 industrial units paid April wages until Sunday.

Of these, 47 factories are the BGMEA members, seven BKMEA-listed units, nine BTMA mills, 139 BEPZA units and 227 non-RMG units, according to the police.