Female workers work at a garments factory in Bangladesh.
The government on Sunday asked the readymade garment factory owners to clear the wages along with festival bonus within August 6, ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.
The three-day-long biggest religious festival of Muslims, Eid-ul-Fitr, is scheduled to be start on August 9.
“Garment owners must clear the salary for the month of July and festival bonus within August 6,” Home Minister MK Alamgir made the declaration emerging from a meeting with the representatives from Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police and different intelligent wings of the government including National Security Intelligence (NSI) and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) at his office.
The minister also informed reporters that in a bid to ensure the rights of workers, no garment factory owner would be allowed to declare a layoff before the upcoming Eid.
The government would also not permit the garment owners to terminate their workers before the festival, the minister added.
Moreover, the government has decided to keep the branch of the banks, which situated in the industrial areas, open on August 6 for the smooth payment of the workers, he added.
August 6 is a national holiday due to the Shab-e-Qadr.
Source: The Daily Star
