The government has banned the owners of 12 ready-made garment factories from traveling abroad for not paying the workers' arrears of wages and compensation. They will not be able to travel abroad until the workers' dues are paid.Labor and Employment Advisor M Sakhawat Hossain gave this information at a press conference at the capital's Secretariat on Tuesday. He said that the Home Ministry has informed the immigration authorities about the matter. The ban has come into effect from today.
Later, after checking with the Labor Ministry, it was learned that the owners of three companies of the Dard Group, two companies of the Mahmud Group, four companies of the TNZ Group, Stylecraft Limited and Young Ones (BD) Limited and Roar Fashion have been banned from traveling abroad.
The Labor Advisor said that there are instructions to pay the salaries and bonuses of the workers of ready-made garment factories by Thursday (March 27). However, 12 factories have said that they will not be able to pay within the stipulated time. Out of these, five factories are experiencing worker dissatisfaction.M Sakhawat Hossain said, "The owners of factories that have failed to pay salaries and bonuses on time have been banned from traveling abroad. According to the labor law, the government will take maximum action against them. These owners do not have problems traveling abroad, nor do they have problems buying houses and cars. However, they show various problems when paying their workers' dues."
When asked what action will be taken if the workers' salaries and bonuses are not paid within the stipulated time, M Sakhawat Hossain said, the matter will be reviewed after Thursday. If any other institution fails to pay salaries and bonuses, maximum legal action will be taken against them.
Officials of the BGMEA, the organization of ready-made garment industry owners, said that on January 24, the Ror Fashion authorities laid off the Bhaluka factory in Mymensingh. The factory's 1,376 workers will receive January salaries and layoff compensation. In addition, the workers are owed 7 million taka for salaries and allowances for November-December. The factory workers blocked the BGMEA building in Uttara this week to demand their demands. The managing director of this factory is Mamunul Islam.
Meanwhile, two factories of the Mahmud Group in Chandra, Gazipur were closed at the end of last year due to various crises. The workers are still waiting for compensation. The group's managing director is AKM Aminul Islam.Workers of Stylecraft and Young One (BD) Limited in Gazipur held a sit-in program in front of the labor building last Sunday to collect their dues. A person named Ram Prasad Singh (40) fell ill during the sit-in program and died. The managing director of this factory is Shams Almas Rahman. Meanwhile, four factories of the Dard Group were closed in Hemayetpur, Savar, in December 2022. The compensation money for the workers of those factories is still pending. Itimad Ud Daula and Nabil Ud Daula are the owners of the Dard Group. In addition, the salary and Eid bonus of the TNZ Group factory in Gazipur are pending. The managing director of this group is Shahdat Hossain Shamim.