60pc of 9,683 industrial units yet to pay May wages

Over 60 percent, or 5,864 out of 9,683 industrial units under the jurisdiction of Industrial Police, except Dhaka Metropolitan area, until Wednesday, a day before the Eid holidays, did not pay monthly wages for May.

Out of these, 982 are Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), 498 are listed with Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and 287 are Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA).

Another 70 factories are BEPZA, 19 are jute mills, while the rest 4008 are non-RMG factories that did not pay May wages.

About 16 per cent or 464 out of a total of 2,457 textile and garment factories under the jurisdiction of the Industrial Police, except the Dhaka Metropolitan area, until Wednesday, a day before the Eid holidays, did not pay festival allowance.

However, some 1,874 factories, including textile, garment and non-RMG factories, out of the IP-listed 9683 units are yet to pay festival allowance, according to IP data.

According to Industrial Police (IP) data, some 263 garment factories out of 1,547 units registered with BGMEA until Wednesday 8.0 pm did not pay festival allowance.

123 units out of 580 BKMEA members and 78 factories out of 330 Bangladesh Textile Mills Association listed units did not pay festival allowance until 8:00 pm on Wednesday, according to IP data.

Besides, seven out of 431 Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) units are also in the list of non-payment of festival allowance.

Earlier on May 28, the interim government at a Tripartite Consultative Committee meeting asked factory owners to pay festival allowances by May 31 and monthly wages for May by June 3.

According to the BGMEA, some 2,092 factories listed with the trade body are in operation.

The trade body claimed, some 2008 factories have paid festival allowance while the process is underway to pay the same in 84 units until 4:00 pm.

Some 874 factories were yet to pay monthly wages for May until 4:00 pm, according to BGMEA data that also showed that 58.22 percent or 1,218 factories, paid May wages.

Some 12 garment factories listed with BGMEA are yet to pay monthly wages for April.

The trade body listed some 11 factories where a crisis might take place over payments of wages and other allowances.

However, according to IP data, some 56 BGMEA members, 11 BKMEA, 13 BTMA and two BEPZA units did not pay monthly wages for April until 3:00 pm on Wednesday.