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Editorial

RMG workers stage demonstration

Clear salary and Eid bonus


Bangladeshpost
Published : 15 Apr 2022 09:25 PM | Updated : 15 Apr 2022 09:25 PM

The readymade garment (RMG) workers in Ashulia on Thursday staged demonstration demanding full salary and bonus before Eid. They also demanded payment of all the arrears and allowances of all workers before the 20th of Ramadan, the basic festival bonus and the full salary of April.

It has become a common phenomenon for workers to take to street before every Eid-ul-Fitr or Eid—ul-Azha festival in our country as many owners do not pay full salary, bonus and arrears despite the government order for payment. It has also been noticed that without paying their salary and Eid bonus, the factory owner hanged a vacation notice on the gate in the past.  In consequence, apart from the capital Dhaka, the worker blocked Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Aricha, Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Sylhet highways at different strategic points demanding arrears and Eid bonus. Therefore, a serious traffic gridlock either in capital Dhaka or on the highways is created, causing immense suffering to home-bound people every year.


We hope the owners will pay 

workers’ salaries and festival 

bonuses before Eid


The owners must pay all the arrears and allowances of all workers before the 20th of Ramadan, the basic festival bonus and the full salary of April. But the owners are trying to pay the salary of first 15 days of April. Such attitude towards the workers is completely illogical and inhumane, to say the least. 

In such a situation, it is beyond their comprehension how they will celebrate Eid with half the salary after completing their work this month. The owners must understand and realise that due to rising commodity prices, the workers cannot properly celebrate the occasions with the scanty amount of money.

Considering the situation, consultation is needed among the factory owners, trade union leaders and workers so that any kind of untoward incident can be avoided. The government has already instructed the factory and industry owners to pay the bonus and salaries of workers and staff for March and April or at least 15 days of April by April 28 before the beginning of the public holidays marking the Eid-Ul-Fitr.

It would be highly appreciated if the owners pay the full salary of April as the Eid will be held in the first week of May. Therefore, we hope that the owners will pay workers’ salaries and festival bonuses before the day of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival. Simultaneously, the workers should not create any indiscipline by blocking the roads and highways.