Dhaka, Sept 19 – Garment workers will demonstrate at their respective areas across the country on September 21 demanding a minimum wage of Tk 16,000 as they turned down the minimum wage of Tk8, 000 as fixed by the government. They also decided to continue their protest rally until the government does not meet their demand.
Garment workers under the banner of “Garments Workers’ Trade Union Centre (GWTUC), ”a platform of RMG workers, have taken the decisions when police stopped their rally towards Labour and Employment ministry on Wednesday to submit an objection letter to reconsider the government’s decision about fixing a minimum wage of Tk 8,000.
Joly Talukder, general secretary of the organisation also announced to hold another protest rally in front the National Press Club on September 28. “If the government does not meet our demand, we will continue our protest to press our demand of minimum wage Tk 16,000,” she said.
Joly Talukder said the government’s decision to fix minimum wage at Tk 8,000 is inhumane. Workers’ salary must be minimum Tk16,000 considering the growing price of daily needs, she said.
Later, a delegation of the organisation led by its general secretary Joly Talukder submitted an objection letter to the Labor and Employment ministry for reconsidering the government’s decision.
Earlier, they held a short protest rally in front of the National Press Club. The rally was chaired by its former executive president Sadiqur Rahman Shamim.
Among others, International Secretary of the GWTUC Manzur Moen, its Gazipur district unit general secretary Jalal Hawlader, Narayangonj district unit president MA Shahin and Savar-Ashulia unit general secretary Khairul Mamun Minto addressed the rally conducted by its central Joint Secretary Iqbal Hossain.
On September 13, the government fixed the minimum wage for the RMG workers at Tk 8000. The decision is to come into effect in December next after the publication of a gazette notification. The workers’ wages were last raised in 2013.
Bangladesh is the largest exporter of readymade garment products, after China. The sector employs an estimated 40 million workers, mostly women, and contributes to more than 80% of Bangladesh’s export earnings. – Staff Reporter
