On Sunday, the owners’ representatives suggested raising their minimum compensation to Tk 10400 from Tk 2,400, while the representatives of the ready-made garment workers sought a minimum salary of Tk 20,400 per month.
On Sunday, Liakat Ali Mollah, Chairman of the Minimum Wage Board, received proposals from Sirajul Islam Rony, President of the Jatiya Garment Sramik Kormachari League (JGSKL), and Md Siddiqur Rahman, a representative of the garment owners, at their office in Palatan, the capital. Sirajul Islam Rony is also the former President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
After receiving the proposals from both sides, Liakat Ali said that the workers’ side is asking for Tk 20,400 and the owners’ side is asking for Tk 10400. “There is quite a gap in the proposals of both parties.”
“The fifth meeting of the wage board will be held on 1 November. The meeting will propose reducing the gap,” he said.
Siddiqur Rahman, a former president of the BGMEA, stated that suggestions from owners and employees are never the same.
He said, “Keeping in mind the state of the global economy and the various contexts of industrial entrepreneurs, we have made this proposal.”
Highlighting the rationale of the proposal, he said that after the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and then the Israel-Hamas war started. All things considered, wages should be increased.
However, “Since the Chairman has asked to reduce the wage proposal of the workers and owners, we will discuss with the owners as soon as possible and inform them in the next meeting,” he added.
Furthermore, the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a private research organization, suggested raising the minimum wage to Tk 17,565 after assessing employees’ quality of life.
