Families of at least 1,500 ready-made garment workers are likely to be deprived of Eid celebrations this year as the employer Tuba Group did not pay them the arrears of three months and festival allowances yesterday, the last working day before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Although the owners had promised to clear the dues by yesterday, the workers did not receive any money despite waiting in front of the Hossain Market in capital’s Badda area for around five hours.
The workers belong to four factories – Tuba Fashions, Bukshan Garments, Tuba Textiles and Mita Design of Tuba Group – all located in Badda.
Sitting in front of the market around 9pm, Obaidul, a cutting supervisor of Tuba Fashions, said: “We came here during evening. The management asked us to wait and said they would get back with the money. But they have not returned yet and also kept their cell phones switched off.”
“Neither we received an assurance from the factory owners nor from the BGMEA,” added Obaidul.
“At a time when workers of other factories are heading towards home to enjoy eid with dear ones, we are crying on the street for our dues,” Obaidul said with distress.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Vice-President Shahidullah Azim told the Dhaka Tribune: “I came to know that the management of Tuba Group could manage some money for distributing among the workers for going to their home towns.”
He said the BGMEA had requested the banks to allocate funds for the Tuba Group but the banks denied to do so as managing director of the group was in jail. The banks went closed for four days on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr from yesterday.
Despite repeated attempts over phone, the Tuba Group’s officials were unavailable for comment.
The workers of Tuba Group have been demonstrating in front of the BGMEA for the last few days demanding arrears and Eid bonuses.
They claimed that the management of the factory put pressure on them to demonstrate in order to free its managing director from jail. Owner of Tuba Textiles Delwar Hossain is currently in jail in connection with the Tazreen Fashions fire incident that killed 112 workers in November 2012.
Another worker Alim claimed that the factory management wanted to use them to free Delwar by creating a labour unrest. “We did not pay heed to their demand and we are on the street only for our dues,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BGMEA claimed that owners of all the member factories have cleared wages and Eid bonuses of the workers as per the government instruction.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
