Three more garment factories fall prey to sliding exports
The authorities of Savar-based Raquef Apparels Washing and Packaging Industry, Passion Jeans, and Passion Apparels and Ware announced the closure of their factories on Thursday due to continued losses amid falling exports.
This sort of factory closure is a common phenomenon recently: only in Gazipur, some 178 small and medium garment factories shuttered in the last one year.
All three are owned by the same entity and it, however, has made a decision to keep open the washing unit of Raquef Apparels.
Earlier on the day, some 3,000-odd aggrieved staff and workers of the factories took to the streets with a demand to clear their arrears, keeping the Hemayetpur-Singair road blocked for four hours.
The personnel called off their demonstration later following the owner decided to clear all of the dues in three phases by March 29, said Rafiqul Islam Sujon, president of Bangladesh Garments and Shilpa Sramik Federation.
"We are okay if we get our salaries and other dues in time," Fazlul Haque, an employee of Passion Jeans, told The Daily Star yesterday.
The authorities have promised to give January's income and allowance of workers and staffers by February 27 and February's income (20 days), compensation and other benefits by March 29.
They also decided to clear the dues of employees who recently have resigned or have already been terminated from job by March 5.
The workers and staffers have accepted your choice, Sujon said.
However, the correspondent cannot reach Shakil Mahmud, deputy general manager, for comment despite several attempts.
