The interim government has imposed foreign travel bans on 12 garment factory owners for not clearing the dues owed to workers by 27 March.

Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain on Tuesday revealed the punitive measure at a press briefing at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

The concerned businessmen cannot travel abroad until clearing the dues, he said, adding if more factory owners are found to deprive their workers after 27 March, they too will face the law.

Earlier, the government fixed 27 March as the deadline for paying all the workers’ due wages and other benefits for allowing them to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr with ease.

Adviser Shakhawat declined to name the 12 factories being primarily targeted, but noted that five among these are already witnessing labour unrest.

The travel bans will come into effect from Tuesday, and necessary documents have already been forwarded to immigration officials for enforcing the move, he said.