News Desk
Like the government offices, holiday was declared at all readymade garment factories of the country on Thursday night for an indefinite period.Earlier, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) sent a letter to its members requesting to consider closure of all the garment factories as the nation is fighting to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Responding to the request, the garment owners declared indefinite holiday at their respective factorie.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh Knit Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) also made the same request sending a latter.
As a result, all the garment factories will remain closed for the time being. However, the factories which manufacture masks and PPEs will remain open.
However, both the BGMEA and BKMEA leaders could not say how long the holiday will last in their factories.
The owners said they could move toward closing their factories as per the Article 16 of the Labour Law unless the coronavirus sitauion improves as early as possible.
The Article 16 of the Labour Law recommends closure of the factories if any epidemic breaks out. In that case, the workers are provided half of their basis salary and house rent during the period of holiday, said BGMEA vice-president Arshad Jamal Tipu.
He said the garment factory owners would pay their workers current month’s salary at any cost. “Whatever the problems they face, I don’t think that the owners would neglect it,” he said.
