RMG factories to open in phases by next week

Ready-made garment (RMG) factories are going to open in phases and go into full-scale operation within next week, according to industry insiders.

A few factories have already opened in the last three days after Eid.

Several sources from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and labour unions said that most of the RMG workers could not go to their native villages on Eid holidays due to a government ban on travel and unavailability of public transport.

However, despite the workers staying near the factories, a significant number have not opened yet.

Also read - RMG workers block road adjacent to Chittagong EPZ

SM Mannan Kochi, senior vice president of the BGMEA, said that many factories have not yet gone into production in full swing.

“Several factories do not have work orders, or even if they do, it is much lower than usual due to the pandemic. So, they are taking time and opening factories slowly. Maybe in a few days, most of the owners will open their factories,” he added.

He also said that due to government restrictions on movement and strict lockdown, very few workers have been able to go to their native homes during the Eid holidays.

Maybe some workers have moved to the village, but that number is comparatively lower in proportion to the total number, he added.

Asked about the status of the second set of stimulus packages, SM Mannan said: “We have not gotten any feedback from the government yet. The matter is under discussion at the official level. However, we are optimistic that the government will consider the second stimulus package which we have applied to sustain the garment industry, which is the lifeline of the country’s economy.”

Also read - BGMEA proposes more tax cuts for FY22 citing Covid-19 losses

Salauddin Swapan, acting president of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC), said that some RMG factories have given their workers leaves till this Friday.

“So, it can be said that maximum of the factories will start working in full force from next week. Moreover, there is also the issue of work orders,” he added.

Babul Akhter, president of Bangladesh Industrial and Garment Workers Federation (BIGWF), also said most of the owners will open the factories at the beginning of next week.

“As per my knowledge, most of the workers did not leave their workplaces during the Eid holidays,” he further said.