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Hossain said that while 94.78 percent of factories had paid bonuses, liquidity pressures were high due to the dual burden of salaries and bonuses.

To ease it, the Bangladesh Bank has released Tk 2,250 crore from export cash incentives to help facilitate payments before Eid.

At a press conference in Dhaka yesterday, Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain assured that “almost all factories” would clear payments as Eid approaches.

According to the adviser, the government has barred 12 garment factory owners from travelling abroad over unpaid wages.

As the owner of Roar Fashion Saifuzzaman Shikhor, a former Amwai League lawmaker, is now absconding, labour agitation prompted authorities to disburse Tk 1.23 crore in loans to cover unpaid wages.

The labour ministry has also urged the home ministry to file a case against the former lawmaker and alert Interpol.

In a bid to settle dues, the adviser said Apparels Eco Ltd of TNZ Group sold cars to pay workers, while Mahmud Jeans used central bank incentives. Disputes at Stylecraft and Youngone BD have also been resolved.

In a statement last night, BGMEA said that 83.2 percent of its 2,107 factories had paid half of March’s wages, with full payments expected by March 28-29.