Workers are demanding that the minimum monthly wage be raised to Tk30,000 from the existing Tk12,500, citing rising living costs
New wages for garment workers will be implemented in December, with workers expected to receive their revised salaries from January, representatives of both employers and workers have said.
The agreement was reached at the first meeting of the newly formed wage board for garment workers today (4 November) at the Minimum Wage Board office in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Babul Akter, the workers’ representative on the wage board, said employers had agreed to the workers’ demand for implementing the new wage structure in December.
“New wages will be implemented in December. Workers will receive their new salaries from January,” he said.
The first meeting of the newly formed wage board for garment workers is scheduled to be held today (4 November), amid ongoing protests by workers demanding higher wages.
Photo: TBS
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The first meeting of the newly formed wage board for garment workers is scheduled to be held today (4 November), amid ongoing protests by workers demanding higher wages.
Photo: TBS
ABM Shamsuddin, the representative of garment factory owners on the wage board, also expressed agreement with Babul Akter’s statement, confirming that the revised wages would be implemented in December and workers would receive them from January.
Following the meeting, labour leader Babul Akter also urged workers to return to their respective factories and resume work.
The meeting was chaired by Syed Azad Subhani, chairman of the Minimum Wage Board.
The agreement comes amid ongoing protests by garment workers across several industrial areas, including Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur, demanding an increase in the minimum monthly wage.
Earlier today, police dispersed protesting garment workers in Savar’s Hemayetpur area as they attempted to move towards the Dhaka-Aricha highway. Police fired tear gas in two phases to disperse the demonstrators, who had gathered at Padma Mor after several consecutive days of protests.
Workers are demanding that the minimum monthly wage be raised to Tk30,000 from the existing Tk12,500, citing rising living costs. They have also called for an end to the blacklisting of workers and what they describe as unjust layoffs.
The government formed a six-member wage board on 1 November to review the salary structure following widespread demonstrations and clashes between workers and law enforcement agencies.
The unrest has disrupted factory operations and triggered road blockades in several industrial areas, with hundreds of factories temporarily suspending operations amid the protests.
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