Four to five garment factories may struggle to pay Eid bonus

Four to five garment factories may face difficulties paying workers’ salaries and bonuses ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr due to financial constraints, a vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said today.

Garment manufacturers also sought assistance from the home ministry to tackle possible unrest in the sector ahead of the Eid festival.

Leaders of the garment and textile trade body held a meeting with other trade bodies at the home ministry office in Dhaka.

After the meeting with the home minister, Md Rezwan Selim, vice-president of BGMEA, said some garment factories were facing trouble paying workers ahead of the Eid holiday.

However, the payment challenge may eventually be solved as BGMEA and banks are working on it, he said.

Selim also said that during the meeting, they sought assistance to address any possible unrest ahead of the Eid holiday.

The BGMEA vice-president also said the central bank has started releasing Tk 2,500 crore from the export incentive so that factories can pay workers on time.

Moreover, banks are also providing Tk 1,500 crore to factories so that they can pay workers on time, he said.