DHAKA: It’s really strange that owners talked about workers facility but workers of 25 percent readymade garment factories don’t get any weekly holiday.

Bangladesh Textile Garments Workers Federation said, according to the labor law-2006, every factory is bound to give a weekly holiday to their workers but most of the readymade garment workers claimed that factory owners forced to work during holidays.

In many cases, some readymade garments workers are getting two day holidays in a month even sometime they don’t get overtime for their holiday work, the workers’ organization added.

Textile Garments Workers Federation (TGWF) of Bangladesh president Advocate Mahbubur Rahman Ismail told banglanews: “Owners of around 25 percent garment units are avoiding legal guidance of weekly holidays which is completely violation of the labor law.”

Readymade Garments Workers Federation president Lovely Yasmin opined that workers are loosing their working ability due to continuous work.

TGWF sources said such tendency of owners became aggravated after the hike of minimum wage in the sector.  

Besides, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) vice-president Shahidullah Azim said the complaint is completely baseless.

Labor organization sources said, according to labor act, a worker has a right to get 104 days holiday in a year but fifty percent garments don’t follow the act.

BDST: 1525 HRS, MAR 17, 2014