By Saturday, 29th March, nearly all garment companies nationwide would have paid their employees their salaries and Eid bonuses, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
BGMEA administrator Md Anwar Hossain reported to UNB that the payment process has proceeded smoothly, thanks to the cooperation of various Government agencies, law enforcement, banks, and labor leaders. This timely payment has brought relief to workers and alleviated pressure on factory owners.
As of Thursday 27th March, 99.5 per cent of factories had completed salary payments for February, while 83.2 per cent had settled salaries for the first 15 or 30 days of March. Additionally, 94.8 per cent of factories have disbursed Eid bonuses. Hossain noted that only a small percentage (0.47 per cent) of factories are still processing outstanding February salaries, but they are expected to complete payments by Saturday.
BGMEA has closely monitored 445 factories to ensure compliance with salary and bonus payments, resulting in the resolution of issues for around 100 problematic factories. To facilitate the payment process, BGMEA requested that the Government keep bank branches open during public holidays, a move that has been beneficial for entrepreneurs in meeting their obligations to workers.
