The owner and worker representatives to the minimum wage board for garment sector will propose their respective pay structures at today’s meeting.Garment leaders might propose Tk 6,500-Tk 6,600 as minimum monthly wages for an entry-level worker, according to an informed circle.On the other hand, worker representative is likely to propose Tk 12,000 for the same, they added.Rights groups, however, demanded Tk 16,000 as minimum monthly wages.Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Siddiqur Rahman said, “We’ll propose our wage structures to the board tomorrow [Monday] taking into consideration the cost of living.”He is the representative of the owners on the board.Mr Rahman, however, did not disclose the amount to be proposed.Shamsunnahar Bhuiyan, worker representative on the board, said they are likely to propose around Tk 12,000.”The new pay structure will be proposed taking 5.0 per cent annual increment and inflation into account,” said Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry.He is also former president of BGMEA.The current minimum monthly wages for an entry-level garment worker is Tk 5,300 set in 2013.The new amount for a worker would stand at Tk 6,500 to Tk 6,700 if annual increment and cost of living are taken into consideration, sources said.The board on July 08 gave a week’s time to owner and worker representatives to submit their respective pay packages.Earlier, the board in its first meeting on March 19 asked both the parties to submit their wage proposals.On January 31, the government issued a gazette declaring the names of the owners’ and workers’ representatives on the board.Minimum wages for RMG workers were fixed at Tk 3,000 in 2010. It was Tk 1,662.50 in 2006 and Tk 940 in 1994.
