Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-The management of Tuba Group started distributing due and overtime wages of the month of July among the workers of its five garment factories Sunday.
Several hundred workers of the Tuba Group thronged at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) building at Karwan Bazar in the capital Dhaka Sunday afternoon to take their due payments and festival bonus.
Delwar Hossain, owner of the factory, is distributing the payments to his workers since around 2:00pm. BGMEA officials are also present at the scene.
The decision of distributing the July wages and festival bonus was taken Saturday at a tripartite meeting among delegates of workers, owners and the government held at the National Parliament Bhaban, generally known as Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in the capital.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, State Minister for Labour and Employment Md Mojibul Haque Chunnu, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Atiqul Islam, its Vice-President Shahidul Azim, and representatives from workers were present at the meeting, Shahidul Azim said.
A total of 1,475 workers so far received wage arrears of two months (May and June) from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) on Thursday, the second day of payment. Tuba Group's total employee count stood at 1,495 in May and 1,458 in June, according to the BGMEA.
Around 1,600 workers from five factories under the Tuba Group have been on a hunger strike since July 28 last at Hossain Market in the capital’s Badda area, demanding payment of their salaries of May, June and July along with overtime bills and festival bonus, which amount to BDT 45.69 million (US$0.59 million), on the factory premises.
The five factories are Tuba Fashion Limited, Tuba Textile Mills Limited, Mita Designs Limited, Taif Designs Limited and Bughsan Garment.
BBN/SSR/AD-10Aug14-4:00 pm (BST)