RMG workers demand Eid bonus, dues by Ramadan 25

National Garments Workers Federation leader Amirul Huq speaks at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium yesterday. Photo: STAR

Labour leaders yesterday demanded payment of Eid bonus and salaries and other dues by 25th of Ramadan and urged the garment owners to stop night shift duty of workers during this holy month.
They called on the concerned authorities to meet their four-point demand within the timeframe.
Labour leaders said this at a press conference organised by National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium yesterday with its President Shahida Sirkar in the chair.
General Secretary of the federation Amirul Huq Amin presented a keynote paper at the programme.
The leaders said they will hand over memoranda to the chief inspector of mills factories and the labour director of concerned department on September 12 to ensure their payments, including Eid bonus.
RMG sector alone earns 76 percent of total foreign remittance of the country but interests of the workers in the sector have been ignored so far, they added.
NGWF Secretary Amirul Huq Amin said, “Most of the workers in the sector are women and hailed from remote villages. About 25 lakh women workers toil in around 45000 RMG factories all the year round, but most of the factories do not pay them any Eid bonus. Some pay half month's salary and some pay quarter month's salary as Eid bonus instead of a full month's salary as bonus.”
Garments workers are not granted any leave as per labour law to visit their family members and dear ones in the villages and even they do not get spare amount to spend on the purpose, he added.
The speakers said most of the workers cannot even prepare a pretty dish on Eid day which is very ironic to them being the part of the largest foreign currency earner in the country.
The four-point demand includes payment of Eid bonus and other bills within 25th of Ramadan, iftar allowance of Tk 25 per day, stopping night shift duty during Ramadan and full or half payment of the salary of September before Eid.
Vice President Nurul Naher, Joint Secretary Arifa Akhter and Publicity Secretary Mohammad Anwar Parvez addressed the press conference.