With just a day remaining before Eid-ul-Fitr, thousands of industrial workers in Bangladesh are still awaiting their February salaries and mandatory festival bonuses, raising concerns over financial strain ahead of the celebrations.
According to the Industrial Police, as of 4 pm on Thursday, the final day for wage and bonus payments, the majority of factories had complied with legal requirements, but a significant number were still in arrears.
Out of 10,100 factories, 9,518 (94.24%) have paid February wages in full, leaving 582 factories (5.76%) yet to complete disbursements.
Similarly, 9,361 factories (92.68%) have paid the statutory Eid bonus, while 739 factories (7.32%) have not fulfilled their obligations. Officials attributed delays mainly to administrative bottlenecks and cash flow constraints, particularly among smaller factories.
Labour leaders, however, warned that the real scale of non-compliance may be much larger. Babul Akter, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers’ Federation, said the number of factories failing to pay could be “five times higher,” citing limited oversight in some industrial areas and weak enforcement mechanisms.
Under Bangladesh’s labour laws, failure to pay festival bonuses on time is considered a serious offence, carrying penalties that include up to three years’ imprisonment.
The delays threaten to disrupt holiday preparations for thousands of workers, many of whom rely on timely payments for travel, shopping, and festival expenses. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the country has over 70 million industrial workers, a significant portion of whom are directly affected.
“Timely payment of wages and bonuses is critical not only for workers’ welfare but also for industrial stability,” said Khondaker Golam Moazzam, research director and senior trade analyst at the Dhaka-based Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD). “Any delay can undermine morale and create tensions within the sector.”
Labour representatives emphasised that gaps in enforcement and administrative inefficiencies continue to hinder compliance, particularly in areas outside major industrial zones.
