In a statement issued on Saturday, Islami Andolan Bangladesh expressed deep concern over recurring payment delays in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, stressing that workers who toil day and night must not be deprived of their rightful earnings during the festive season.
Joint Secretary General and spokesperson of the party Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman said unrest among garment workers over unpaid wages and bonuses has become an unwelcome ritual ahead of every Eid.
“Factory owners are among the wealthiest individuals in the country, and their wealth is built on the hard labour of these workers. Yet their reluctance to disburse Eid bonuses and salaries on time is unacceptable,” he remarked.
He also criticised what he described as a recurring pattern where the government is forced into negotiations with factory owners over worker payments, often leading to state concessions.
This year, too, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is reportedly seeking cash incentives from the government, a demand the party views as an attempt to capitalise on workers’ festival rights.
“It is not a good sign that one of the most privileged and profitable sectors is using workers’ Eid joy as a bargaining chip to secure its own interests,” Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman added.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh has called for full payment of all outstanding salaries and festival bonuses to every RMG worker within the next 20 days, urging authorities to ensure that no worker’s Eid celebration is overshadowed by financial uncertainty.
