Desk Report:
Labor and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has ordered the payment of outstanding salaries and Eid bonuses to workers in all industries and factories in the country before the Eid holidays. He said that all concerned should be vigilant so that no complications arise regarding the dues of the workers under any circumstances.
He gave this instruction at a high-level meeting organized to determine the steps to be taken to resolve labor dissatisfaction in the ready-made garment (RMG) and non-RMG sectors at the office of the Labor Minister’s official residence on Bailey Road in the capital on Friday (March 13, 2026).
The minister said that a list of risky industries and factories will be prepared based on parliamentary constituencies and given to the concerned members of parliament. They will talk directly to the factory authorities and take necessary measures to quickly pay the outstanding salaries and bonuses to the workers. He also directed to contact the banks including UCBL, Trust and Premier Bank, which are delaying in providing loans despite the instructions of Bangladesh Bank, to ensure quick loan arrangements.
The Labor Minister also said that some labor leaders are trying to create instability in the industrial sector by inciting unnecessary workers. Local parliamentarians and administration should be vigilant in this regard. At the same time, he ordered to prepare a list of absconding owners and their organizations, and said that everyone should be vigilant so that no untoward incident occurs in these factories.
In the meeting, Prime Minister’s Advisor Mahdi Amin said that the closed factories will be reopened on priority basis within 180 days of the formation of the government. He said that the Prime Minister has clear instructions to conduct strict monitoring to resolve the problems of the workers.
At the meeting, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said that out of 2,127 factories operating in Dhaka and Chittagong, 1,964 (92.34 percent) factories have paid February salaries and 1,535 (72.17 percent) factories have paid Eid bonuses. He said that March salary payment is not mandatory; however, factories that have the capacity can pay it. He also commented that many workers are being incited in this regard.
BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said that out of 834 factories in the country, 512 factories have paid February salaries and 604 factories have paid Eid bonuses. He expressed hope that the payment of salary and bonuses by most factories will not cause major worker dissatisfaction.
Secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Employment Md. Abdur Rahman Tarafdar said that if an emergency fund is formed, it will be possible to permanently solve the problems related to salary and bonuses of workers by using that money.
The meeting was attended by Dhaka-19 MP Dr. Dewan Md. Salauddin, Dhaka-20 MP Md. Tamiz Uddin, Gazipur-1 MP Md. Mojibur Rahman, Gazipur-2 MP M Manjurul Karim Rony, Gazipur-3 MP S. M. Rafiqul Islam and Gazipur-5 MP Fazlul Haque Milon, along with senior government officials.
