Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association – BGMEA has expressed support for enforcing the “no work, no pay” policy, under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006, amidst ongoing workers’ unrest. This clause allows factory owners to partially or fully close a branch during an “illegal” strike, with striking workers not receiving wages.
Despite recent negotiations where factory owners agreed to provide an additional Tk 225 attendance bonus and Tk 10 for tiffin, unrest persists. BGMEA Senior Vice President Abdulla Hil Rakib mentioned that local political groups have influenced the situation, leading to continued disruptions.
Rakib highlighted that although manufacturers aimed to resolve the issue through dialogue and by keeping factories open, unrest continued, and prompting factory owners to consider enforcing Section 13(1). As of now, 54 factories in Savar and Ashulia have been closed indefinitely, and 60 others have declared a general holiday.
BGMEA hopes that applying this policy will encourage negotiations between workers and factory owners. A discussion between BGMEA and local political leaders has also taken place.
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