The government has warned that it will take legal actions, including suspending licenses and filing cases against garment factories that will fail to pay March wages by tomorrow (Thursday).
Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) will prepare a list of factories that will fail to pay wages by April 16 and send it to the labour and employment ministry.
“Legal action would be taken against factories that fail to pay their respective workers and employees’ wages for the month of March by tomorrow (Thursday),” a DIFE office notice warned.
Case will be filed according to labour law while license renewal will be suspended for those who would fail to pay March wages, it warned.
The government’s move came after several workers took the streets and gathered in front of the factory premises.
The DIFE’s directive also said that though it is legally mandatory to pay wages by seven working days of next month, the deadline for wage payment has been extended until April 16 by discussing with Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).
However, some factories are yet to take the required steps, the DIFE observed.
As a result, workers took the streets and protested in front of factory premises without taking into account the risk of spreading coronavirus disease, which is unexpected, it added.
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