The advisory council committee that reviewed the labour and business situation of industrial establishments in Beximco Industrial Park revealed that Tk12,000 crore of loans have been taken against 16 factories that do not exist.
“For the information of Beximco officials, employees, workers, and countrymen, it is being informed that out of a total of 32 factories in Beximco Industrial Park, 16 do not exist. Still, a loan of Tk12,000 crore has been taken against these 16 companies,” Brig Gen (retd) Dr Sakhawat Hossain, labour and employment adviser and convener of the advisory council committee, said at a press conference at the Secretariat on Thursday.
He said the management had laid off workers from 12 existing factories, which was not a government decision. He also noted that three Beximco factories are currently running.
Moreover, Beximco Ltd's total bank debt is more than Tk40,000 crore, including Tk29,925 crore, against the 32 factories in Beximco Industrial Park. Of this amount, Tk23,285 crore is owed to Janata Bank alone.
On Tuesday, employees and workers of Beximco Industrial Park gathered at Gazipur’s Sreepur Mayanagar ground, demanding the withdrawal of lay-offs and reopening of the factories.
They also announced that if the factories are not opened by 3pm on Wednesday, they will implement a shutdown program, including blocking the Dhaka-Tangail highway.
On November 24, 2024, the government formed an advisory council committee to review the labour and business situation of Beximco Industrial Park.
The committee's purpose is to evaluate the impact of Beximco's current situation on surrounding industrial establishments and public life and to recommend appropriate actions to address these issues.
The committee has already conducted five meetings. As per the decision of the first meeting held on November 28 last year, Janata Bank PLC has provided three months of wages in arrears to the workers and employees of Beximco Industrial Park.
Moreover, to deal with the emergency situation, the Finance Department has distributed Tk50 crore as an interest-free loan and Tk10 crore from the government's central fund, meaning that from September 2024 to date, the government has provided a total of Tk223.43 crore to Beximco.
However, the labour adviser said that currently, no bank can give them new loans to run the factories, which are in excessive debt.
He also said that the sale, lease, or transfer of the industrial establishments of Beximco Industrial Park is in the process of being completed, along with the asset statement of the companies, liabilities, and debts, statement of assets mortgaged to the concerned bank, detailed report on the ongoing business and income, and the sale/transfer/lease of the assets of the companies as per the Articles of Association of the concerned companies.
A meeting to resolve the ongoing financial crisis of the industrial establishments of Beximco Industrial Park will be organized on January 26, with the participation of the labour secretary, officials of the concerned ministry, and officials of the lending banks and financial institutions.
Moreover, another meeting is scheduled on January 28 to review the latest progress and the details of liabilities and assets.
Urging the laid-off employees and workers to understand reality and show patience, the labour adviser requested that they refrain from activities harmful to the country's interests.
Responding to a question, the adviser said the government would bring those who committed vandalism to book.
“We want to believe the workers are not involved in these activities,” he added.
Meanwhile, the workers, employees, officials, and others involved with Beximco demanded the reopening of all factories under the Beximco Garments Division and the withdrawal of layoffs.
They made this call at a press conference on Thursday at the Capital Market Journalists' Forum in the capital.
Syed Md Enam Ullah, head of Personnel & Administration (CFDL) under the Beximco Garments Division, Beximco Textile Division Ltd, read a written statement with three demands.
The other two demands were to restore banking services, open back-to-back LCs to facilitate the start of export trade and receive work orders from foreigners. The third demand was to take immediate steps to repay all outstanding wages, salaries, and company liabilities while keeping the factories and businesses running.
Earlier on Wednesday, a group of agitated Beximco workers set fire to the factory of Grameen Fabrics and Fashion Ltd in Kashimpur, Gazipur, and several vehicles.
On December 15, after the Beximco Group laid off nearly 40,000 workers across its 15 apparel units, citing a lack of work orders for its export-oriented garment and textile factories in Dhaka's outskirts of Gazipur.
