Wage hike demanded for Bangladesh apparel workers amid price rises

Discussants at a roundtable press the authorities to review minimum wage for readymade garments workers

Speakers at a roundtable in Dhaka have demanded an increase in the minimum wage for readymade garment factory workers amid the rising cost of living.

The discussants categorically dismissed the notion of geopolitical factors behind rising production costs in the readymade garments sector. They have blamed the stakeholders’ alleged involvement in rampant corruption for the rise.

Cost of living increased along with production costs, they argued at the roundtable organised on Saturday by Bangladesh Garment Workers Trade Union Centre.

The trade union leaders at the programme announced a demonstration for Mar 1 outside the Ministry of Labour and Employment to demand an immediate rise in the minimum wage.

Bangladesh fixed the minimum wage for RMG workers for the last time in 2018 at Tk 8,000, including rent, food, transportation and medical costs, for an entry-level worker.

In his speech, Anu Muhammad, member-secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, accused the RMG industry owners of attempting to maximise their profits by citing “lame” excuses like global political matters, which the left-leaning economist does not believe is the real reason for the rise in recent production cost.

“Production cost rose because of rampant corruption, especially in the power sector, not geopolitical factors.”

However, he said, owners kept repeating the same thing to establish their side of the argument for not raising the minimum wage for workers.

“Just like the owners, the livelihood of these workers has been severely affected by price rises, but nobody is talking about that.”

The retired professor of Jahangirnagar University also rejected the government narrative of blaming the current inflation situation in Bangladesh on the war waging in Europe.

“The rising inflation is solely the government’s doing. Policymakers within the government made the whole energy sector dependent on imports and neglected efforts to find domestic sources because they wanted to make millions from commissions.”

At the discussion, the former president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh or CPB, Mujahidul Islam Selim, threatened protests if the government did not raise the minimum wage to at least Tk 30,000 by July 30.

“The real income of the workers has fallen significantly. For example: with rising inflation, they can’t purchase necessities with the Tk 10,000 wage anymore. The devaluation of the taka will continue with the excuse of the Ukraine-Russia war. The workers would at least require Tk 30,000 to afford a basic livelihood,” he said.

Mahbubur Rahman Ismail, a trade union leader, demanded to raise the minimum wage to at least Tk 14,000 as soon as possible to adjust to the inflation. GWTUC leader Joly Talukder demanded a dearness allowance, a one-time payment to adjust to the rising cost of living, along with a new minimum wage scale.