Beximco Textiles Ltd and 16 other readymade garment factories located in Beximco Industrial Park in Gazipur have announced lay-offs starting December 16, due to lack of work orders, according to a press release issued by labour ministry.

At a meeting of the Advisory committee on the labour and business situation of Beximco Industrial Park, held on December 15 at labour ministry the managing director of the park Osman Kader Chowdhury informed that the entities were no longer able to operate due to a lack of orders and significant bank loan defaults under the company’s name.

During the meeting he said that all officers, employees, and workers employed in the 16 garment factories and Beximco Textiles Ltd have been laid off starting on December 16, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Bangladesh Labour Act.

During the layoff period, workers would receive wages as stipulated by law.

He also clarified that workers would not be required to physically report to the factory during this time.

The meeting was attended by the labour adviser, home adviser, commerce adviser, finance adviser, industries adviser, attorney general, heads of various law enforcement agencies, secretaries of labour ministry, commerce ministry and finance ministry, the receiver of Beximco Ltd and representatives of Bangladesh Bank and Janata Bank, along with senior ministry officials.

Earlier, the advisory committee, in its first meeting had decided to sale the Beximco Group’s readymade garment companies to pay the workers’ dues.