Home ›› 23 Sep 2021 ›› Nation
Hundreds of contractors, who have worked for different industrial establishments at Adamjee Export Processing Zone (EPZ), have been waiting for their due payments for years and are now left penniless for the delay.
Especially, over 150 contractors of two companies – Progress Apparels, a multinational company, and Kwun Tong Apparels, an Indian company – who have been supplying raw materials, building houses, conducting repair, and providing many other services are now in a serious financial crisis and working with the last portion of their capital, sources said.
Most of these contractors supply chemicals, stationery items, construction materials, boiler machines, mechanical accessories and equipment, groceries for workers’ canteens, tiffin, contract-based workers, and medicines.
They take out loans from banks or relatives on high interest rates and work based on their contracts with the companies. However, problems arise when the companies do not pay them for years and ask for more supplies under new agreements, they said.
They also alleged that despite registering multiple complaints with the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) authorities, the latter turned a deaf ear and did not respond to their plea.
Owner of MMRS Traders, engineer Al Mamunur Rashid, told The Business Post his company did repairs at Progress Apparels spending Tk 2 crore three years back. “Despite completing the work years ago, the company still owes me Tk 61 lakh.”
“I contacted the company and the BEPZA authorities several times but to no avail. I did the project by taking out loans, and their interests rates are increasing day by day. I do not know how to repay the loans or retrieve my dues from the company,” added the business owner.
Another businessman Abdul Mannan Shovon, owner of contractor agency Isthapati, told The Business Post, “We did the interior design of the company spending Tk 1.68 crore three years back. They paid us Tk 8.53 lakh and still owe us Tk 1.6 crore.”
“We tried to contact them, but they did not respond. If the situation does not change, we will surely file a complaint with the BEPZA,” he added.
Kamrul Islam, a business partner of RR Food and Catering Service, who had been supplying grocery items to Kwun Tong Apparels, told The Business Post the company had been shut off a year ago without paying their due bills of Tk 25 lakh.
“We have contacted the BEPZA authorities several times, but they did not respond. In these circumstances, we are in huge peril as the lenders are asking for their money. We have lost our capital and are in huge debts,” he said.
The owner of chemical supply company SR Enterprise, Khairuddin, said, “I have a Tk 1 crore bill pending with the Kwun Tong authorities. They had not paid us the dues and ordered more supplies. When we protested, they threatened to terminate the contract without paying the dues.”
Another such company, Pubali Construction, told The Business Post they have arrears amounting to Tk 2 crore with Kwun Tong. They filed a complaint with the BEPZA authorities, but to no avail.
“We filed the complaint on November 13, 2019, but have not received a reply to date,” said an employee of the company.
Owner of Islami Parash Pathor, Mainuddin, registered a complaint with the BEPZA on June 13 this year to get back his Tk 70 lakh arrears from the same company but did not receive any response.
Like these contracting agencies, hundreds of others, including Billal Enterprise, Focus Enterprise, Gazi Enterprise, Sim Tech Solutions, MR Corporation, Bhuiyan Trading, and Active Trading, are yet to get crores from Progress Apparels and Kwun Tong Apparels.
Despite multiple attempts, The Business Post could not reach the authorities of the two companies for comments.
General Manager of Adamjee EPZ Ahsan Kabir told The Business Post they are aware of the situation and the sufferings of the contractors.
“Kwun Tong Apparels authorities told us they would pay the arrears after selling their company. In the case of Progress Apparels, which is still operational, I think they will pay the contractors soon,” he said.
“Pending payments are normal for operational companies depending on the nature of the business. However, we will surely look into the matter,” added the official.
