Tuba Group Managing Director Delowar Hossain, also owner of five closed RMG units, has submitted an estimated cost of around Tk2.7 crore to the ministry of Labour and Employment, for paying the workers’ termination and service benefits of his closed factories in line with the labour laws.
The owner of the Tuba Group has placed an estimated figure of around Tk2.7 crore, which is needed for him to pay the workers of the five closed RMG factories, a high official of the Labour and Employment Ministry told the Dhaka Tribune on condition of anonymity.
The Dhaka Tribune also obtained a copy of the estimate submitted to the ministry as per an instruction.
According to the estimate, the group needs Tk46 lakh to pay workers’ termination and service benefits of Tuba Textile, Tk35 lakh for Tuba Fashion, Tk46 lakh for Bugshan Garments, Tk70 lakh for Taif Design and Tk18 lakh for Mita Designs.
“I will be able to pay the dues of the workers only when the insurance company pays me my insurance claims of Tk18 crore,” Delowar told the Dhaka Tribune.
He has also sought government’s interference in realising his insurance claims from the Karnafuli Insurance Company. He had fire insurance with the same insurance company over his Tazreen Fashions, which was also burnt down in 2012.
On August 26, the ministry of Labour and Employment asked Delowar Hossain to submit an estimate on the dues of the workers as per the labour laws within four days.
On August 18, the Tuba Group owner announced the shut-down of the five factories in line with article 13(1) of Labour Act 2006. The closure of five RMG units had made around 1,500 workers jobless.
According to Labour Act 2006, the employers may, in the event of an illegal strike by any section or department of any establishment, close down either totally or partly such section or department and the striking workers shall not be paid any wages for such closure.
The declaration of factory closures were not in accordance of the laws as the workers were staging demonstration and demanding their dues.
Consequently, the government called for a meeting with the factory owners and the workers’ leaders, when the ministry directed the owner to place the estimated cost for the factory closure.
On July 28, at least 1,200 workers of the five factories went on an indefinite hunger strike at Hossain Market in Badda area, demanding payment of three months’ wages, overtime and Eid bonuses.
Following the demonstrations, BGMEA under the government pressure paid two months’ wages to more than 1,600 workers of Tuba Group.
Later on August 10, the Tuba Group management paid the workers’ wages for the month of July and overtime dues, but the workers were yet to get Eid bonuses.
