The Bangladesh government has permitted additional 2 hours’ overtime for the country’s export-oriented ready-made garment (RMG) industry for 6 months amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The sources also said garment factories can request their workers to do overtime by additional 2 hours or a total of 4 hours a day.
As per the labor law, an RMG worker works eight hours a day and 48 hours a week in a garment factory.
Garment factories are permitted to ask workers to do overtime by 2 hours daily on the condition of giving twofold wage for the overtime period.
On April 13, the labor and employment ministry issued a circular to this effect, excusing the apparel sector from labor law provisions of 100, 102 and 105 about working hours and overtime.
According to the circular, “The 6-month conditional waiver will come into effect from April 17.”
The circular stipulates that workers must be paid a twofold wage for overtime than regular work hours and no worker can be forced to do overtime more than 4 hours a day.
The circular added that weekly holidays must be given and no overtime could be performed if any workers are not willing to do the same.
The 8-point condition also included guaranteeing the COVID-19 health and safety guideline issued by the government authorities concerned.
