The government on Tuesday announced Tk 12,500 as the minimum salary for entry level Readymade Garment (RMG) workers, a raise of 56.25 percent from the existing pay.
Besides, the government is considering introducing rations for the RMG workers.
State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian announced the new wage structure for RMG workers with effect from December 1.
The RMG sector is the country’s topmost revenue source through export with the involvement of millions of workers, mostly women.
Earlier, the former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and representative of garment owners Md Siddiqur Rahman submitted a revised proposal for increasing workers’ salary by Tk 2,100 from the previous proposal to Tk 12,500 to Liaqat Ali Mollah, Chairman of the Minimum Wage Board at his office located in the city’s Paltan.
Representatives of garment owners for minimum wage Md Siddiqur Rahman, Jatiya Garment Sramik Karmachari League (JGSKL) president Sirajul Islam Rony, Liaqat Ali Mollah, chairman of the Minimum Wage Board, and officials of the Ministry of Labour Welfare joined the meeting.
On October 22, the proposals from both sides were submitted to the Minimum Wage Board. The owners' side had proposed Tk 10,400 as the minimum salary which the workers’ side declined to accept, and they had demanded Tk20,400.
Meanwhile, RMG workers in the capital and adjoining areas returned to their workplaces on Sunday after 12 days of unrest centring their demand over increasing salaries.
The minimum wage for garment workers was fixed in 2018 last. Accordingly, the garment workers were getting a minimum wage of Tk 8,000. Now the minimum wage has been increased by Tk 4,500 and the salary hike rate is 56.25 percent.
The minimum wage for the RMG workers has been finalised in line with the proposal of factory owners and following the demand of the workers.
State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian briefed journalists about the wages re-fixed following the 6th meeting of the board on Tuesday.
Following the meeting, RMG workers' representative Sirajul Islam Rony said, "In light of the reality of the RMG industry and the prime minister's instructions, the workers will accept the board's decision."
He, however, demanded rations for the RMG workers.
The State Minister for Labour and Employment said the government is planning to introduce family ration cards for them.
According to sources, the RMG sector-- the jewel in Bangladesh's export crown, with exports reaching over $46.99 billion in the fiscal year 2023 — has been in turmoil by protests in recent days.
According to the BGMEA, there are more than 4000 RMG factories across the country involving more than 40 lakh workers. About 60 percent of them are women.
In 2021, the export value of RMG in Bangladesh amounted to approximately USD 31.46 billion. Bangladesh earned USD 55.55 billion in export earnings in fiscal 2022-23, as per the government statistics.
Besides, Bangladesh remains on the top of almost all the countries, which export RMG to different countries, in the export of RMG to European Countries, the USA and Australia.
