Bangladesh has announced the creation of a six‑member wage board to review the minimum wage for garment workers, a move aimed at calming a nationwide protest that has disrupted key industrial areas. The board will comprise representatives from the government, factory owners and workers, and will determine a new minimum wage level.
Despite the announcement, thousands of garment workers have persisted in their demonstrations around Dhaka. Police responded with tear gas and sound grenades, and clashes in the industrial suburb of Ashulia left several people, including officers, injured.
Workers are demanding a monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($242), more than double the current 12,500 taka ($101). They cite rising costs of food, housing, transport and healthcare as the main reasons for their demands.
Ministry of Labour and Employment adviser M Sakhawat Hossain Chowdhury told reporters that the wage board issue had been resolved and that workers should return to work smoothly. Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury warned that prolonged factory closures could delay export shipments and payments from international buyers, worsening the situation for both manufacturers and workers.
The garment sector, the backbone of Bangladesh’s export‑driven economy, employs millions and accounts for about 10% of the country’s GDP. However, manufacturers face mounting challenges, including rising production costs, periodic gas and electricity shortages, and uncertainty in energy markets linked to Middle East tensions.
Source: Al Jazeera
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