The circular stated that former presidents of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Associations (BGMEA), Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman and Sirajul Islam Rony, Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League, were appointed as representatives for workers and owners.
Bangladesh’s government has recently established the minimum wage board in Bangladesh to oversee the review of wages for ready-made garment (RMG), workers.
The appointment of representatives from the RMG sector workers and owners was announced in a ministry of labor and employment circular. It has four permanent members and is headed by Liaquat Ali Molla, a senior district judge.
Four permanent members make up the wage board, led by Liaquat Ali Molla, a senior district judge.
Moksud Siddiqui (Bangladesh Employers Federation representative), Sultan Ahmed, Jatiya Shramik League leader and workers representative, as well as Mohammad Kamal Uddin, an independent member of Dhaka University.
Last year, the minimum wage was revised to Tk 8,000. An entry-level worker would receive Tk 4,100 in basic pay, Tk 2,050 for house rent, Tk 600 for medical allowance, Tk 350 transport allowance and Tk 9000 food allowance.
According to Bangladeshi media reports, there is an increase in demand for Tk 23,000. This minimum wage includes a basic salary of 65 percent.
Labor unions also demand a 65 percent increase in basic pay for 7th-grade workers. This is the lowest rank in the wage hierarchy of garment workers. The government has announced minimum wages to RMG workers 4 times since 2006. But basic wages were reduced each time, in order to raise allowances.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – DS