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Published : 05 Jun 2025, 04:27 AM
Garment factories were supposed to clear salaries before the Eid-ul-Azha holidays by the end of May and pay wages between Jun 1 and Jun 3.
But, according to Industrial Police data, as of Wednesday, only 83.69 percent of factories have paid Eid bonuses, while just 36.39 percent have cleared worker salaries.
The figures were detailed in a report issued Wednesday night, based on data collected up to 8pm.
The report, compiled from 2,888 factories under the country's major apparel associations, BGMEA, BKMEA, BTMA, and those within BEPZA, shows that 1,051 factories have cleared wages, while 2,417 have paid bonuses.
That leaves 1,837 factories with unpaid wages and 471 factories where workers are yet to receive bonuses.
Industrial Police identified factories under Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) as the most compliant, with 424 out of 431 paying bonuses and 361 also clearing wages.
In contrast, BTMA (Bangladesh Textile Mills Association) member factories were found to be the least compliant.
Of its 330 factories, only 43 have paid wages and 252 have distributed bonuses, leaving as many as 287 factories with outstanding wage payments.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), which oversees the largest number of factories, reported mixed results: 1,284 of 1,547 factories paid bonuses, while just 565 had cleared wages, leaving 982 factories yet to do so.
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) showed similar trends.
Out of 580 factories, 457 paid bonuses, but only 82 paid wages.
That means 498 BKMEA-affiliated units still owe salaries to their workers.
Speaking to bdnews24.com, Babul Akhter, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF), said many factories have yet to distribute bonuses, and wage payments remain incomplete in majority of cases.
He cited the example of workers from Bashundhara Garments in Savar, who are still staging sit-ins in outside the labour ministry and BGMEA office.
"They’re owed wages for April and May, along with the Eid bonus. The owner was detained by police and army, released after promising payment, and has since disappeared. The workers are left roaming the streets," he said.
Babul also pointed out a loophole: many workers are ineligible for bonuses because they have not completed one year of employment, a requirement under the labour law.
“In our sector, high turnover is the norm. So a significant portion of the workforce, often around 20 percent, is new and doesn’t qualify for the bonus,” he said.
“[Thursday] is the last working day. We’ll know the real picture then.”
