Garment factory owners yesterday proposed a Tk 6,360 minimum monthly wage for the sector’s 4.4 million workers — way less than their demand for Tk 12,020.Now, the minimum wage for workers is Tk 5,300, meaning they would get a 20 percent hike.“We mainly considered inflation while proposing Tk 6,360 for minimum wage,” said Siddiqur Rahman, factory owners’ representative at the wage board.Rising cost of doing business and competitiveness of the industry in global markets were also considered, said Rahman, also president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, after the meeting of the board at its office in Dhaka.Of the amount, Tk 3,600 would be the basic salary and the remaining house rent, transport cost and others, he said.But the workers demanded Tk 7,500 as the basic salary and Tk 4,520 as rent, transport cost and other expenses, said Shamsun Nahar Bhuiyan, workers’ representative in the board.“We also considered the inflation rate and cost of living while proposing the figure of Tk 12,020.”The next meeting of the wage board will take place on August 29.“I hope we can reach a decision by September,” she added.The minimum wage board for garment workers was formed in January this year by the ministry of labour and employment following a request from the BGMEA itself to avert any labour unrest.The minimum wage was last fixed at Tk 5,300 in 2013, up from Tk 3,000 in 2010, Tk 1,662.50 in 2006, Tk 940 in 1994 and Tk 627 in 1985.Some union leaders have been demanding Tk 16,000 as the minimum wage for workers.The minimum wage for 10 other sectors were fixed the government this year.
