A group of readymade garment workers and trade union leaders sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s intervention to announce Tk 23,000 monthly minimum wage.
They made the demand during a procession brought out towards the Prime Minister’s Office in the capital on Sunday and submitted a memorandum to the prime minister. National Garment Workers Federation organised the programme.
During the programme, speakers said that as per the 2018 RMG workers’ wage structure, minimum wage was fixed at $100 or Tk 8,000. If the USD is converted into taka, the amount now stands at Tk 11,000. But the factory owners are still paying Tk 8,000.
In the last five years, they also said, the prices of many commodities increased three to four times, making it difficult for the workers to survive. If the government considers price hikes in the last five years into consideration, and sets the wage as per the ongoing USD rate, our demand for Tk 23,000 as minimum wage is logical, they added.
They also said factory owners are making 7-10 per cent profits from their gross revenue. Besides, they also received 1-10 per cent cash incentives based on items and destination. But workers get nothing except monthly wage.
“To consider ongoing high inflation, USD rate, owners’ profit margin and cash incentives, the monthly minimum wage for RMG workers should be set at Tk 23,000, and we are seeking Prime Minister’s intervention to meet our demand,” President of the federation Amirul Haque Amin said.
