Written by The Banking Post
More than a quarter of factories under the Industrial Police jurisdiction have yet to pay April wages, raising concerns over possible labour unrest ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.
According to Industrial Police data, 2,698 factories out of 10,238 operating units across eight industrial zones had not cleared April salaries as of Saturday. The unpaid factories include 751 textile and readymade garment (RMG) units and 1,947 non-RMG establishments.
The factories are located in major industrial hubs including Ashulia, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Cumilla and Sylhet.
The highest rate of unpaid wages was recorded in Narayanganj, where 57.30 per cent of factories failed to pay salaries. Ashulia followed with 42.93 per cent, while Mymensingh and Gazipur recorded 26.62 per cent and 22.54 per cent respectively.
Among export-oriented factories, over 22 per cent of units listed with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) are yet to pay wages. The rate stood at 31.78 per cent for factories under the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).
The data also showed that 123 member factories of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), eight factories under the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), and seven jute mills had not paid April wages by Saturday.
Labour leaders recently warned at a tripartite consultative committee meeting that delayed wage payments before Eid could trigger unrest in industrial areas.
Labour Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Thursday instructed factory owners to pay festival allowances by May 21 and ensure timely wage payments in line with labour laws to avoid any untoward situation.
Labour representatives at the meeting also urged the government to take action against factory owners failing to clear wages and other dues on time.
Meanwhile, the government recently released Tk 15 billion as the fourth tranche of cash incentives for 43 export-oriented sectors in FY26 following demands from factory owners.
The incentive programme covers sectors including readymade garments, frozen shrimp and fish, leather goods and jute products, with support ranging from 0.30 per cent to 10 per cent depending on export categories.
