In an apparent move to avoid further unrest in the RMG sector, the government on Sunday asked the garment factory owners to pay the salaries of their workers by the first 10 days of every month or face legal actions.
“The government will file cases against them (owners) with the Labour Court under the Labour Law if they fail to pay wages by the first 10 days of every month,” Labour and Employment secretary Mikail Shipar told reporters.
The secretary came up with the government’s tough decision after a meeting of the cabinet committee meeting on garment sector at the ministry with Labour and Employment Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju in the chair.
The secretary said the RMG factory owners will further be asked to make sure the workers are also paid their various allowances within the first five to seven days of the relevant month.
About the safety of factory buildings, Mikail Shipar said, “From now on, an expert committee comprising engineers and architects will monitor new garment factory buildings to detect whether those have been built in compliance with the Building Code.”
The owners will also be instructed to maintain parity with each other in providing allowance for the tifin to its workers, Mikail Shipar said. “They’ll also be directed to follow the rules while retrenching their workers.”
The meeting directed the Labour and Employment Ministry to take steps for appointing 200 inspectors for Mills and Factories Inspection department to strengthen the government’s monitoring over the garment industry.
The meeting asked the BGMEA to provide a list of risky garment factory buildings to the cabinet committee meeting on garment sector soon so that the government could come up with its remedial measures.
Earlier, the BGMEA was asked to submit the list by May 31.
Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, Commerce Minister GM Quader, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud, Industries Minister Dilip Barua, State Minister for Labour Munnujan Sufian and senior officials concerned attended the meeting.
Source: UNBConnect