Eid holidays for all the industrial sectors, including readymade garment (RMG), will be three days, state minister for labour Monnujan Sufian said on Sunday.
The factory owners and workers will jointlyadjust the holidaysthat remain due at their respective workplaces, she said, adding that all must stay at their current living places irrespective of the days of leave.
The instruction came at the tripartite consultative council meeting of RMG sector held at Srama Bhaban in the city.
The meeting was convened against the backdrop of labour unrests in some garment factories at different parts of the industrial zones for last couple of days, demanding Eid holiday for more than three days.
Led by Ms Sufian, the meeting was attended by representatives from Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and labour organizations.
On Sunday, the garment workers of four factories protested and blocked a road in Mirpur section-14, demanding full festival bonus and 10daysof Eid holidays, sources said.
Workers also came out from their respective factories and protested on Saturday in different parts of Mirpur and Gazipurareas demanding the same, they added.
Talking to the FE, labour leader Babul Akhter said the workers in many factories did 'general duty' on Friday during last one month while majority of the factories announced Eid holiday ranging seven to ten days.
"They (factories) can't decrease the holidays. Now they have to either adjust the holidays later with the next Eid festival or they have to pay overtime bills for the general duty," he said.
Another labour leader from Garments Sramik Front Ahsan Habib Bulbul said that as the garment workers are entitled to less leave throughout the year, the factories add additional days with Eid holidays by performing general duty during the Ramadan.
"Workers might not come to the street or stage demonstration if there isa clear announcement bythe government and factory owners that their general duty will be adjusted as alternative holidays," he noted.
The apparel sector trade bodies - BGMEAand BKMEA - alsoinstructed their member factories about the three-day Eid holiday in line with the government's instruction though many of their member factories have already announced Eid holiday ranging from five to 10 days.
When asked, BGMEA vice president Shahidullah Azim said: "We have already advised our member factories about the three-day eid holidays in line with the government instruction."
"If workers of any factory did work on the weekend or Friday, they will be paid overtime or it would be adjusted later," he noted.
Echoing Mr Azim, FazleeShamim Ehsan, a BKMEA director, said those who have already announced Eid holidays will make necessary amendment.
Explaining factories' respective Eid holidays ranging from five to 10 days, he said they made the announcement before the instruction of the government made on May 05.
Both the leaders, however, called on the workers to stay at their present places taking the coronavirus situation into consideration and not to go to their respective villages.
Munni_fe@yahoo.com