New Wage Proposal Puts Bangladesh Garment Workers’ Minimum Pay at Tk 32,000
DHAKA, Nov 9 — Workers’ representatives have proposed setting the minimum monthly wage for employees in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector at Tk 32,000, as negotiations over a new pay structure continue.
The proposal was presented at the second meeting of the minimum wage board on Monday, November 9, according to worker representative Babul Akhter.
Under the proposed structure, workers in Grade 1 would receive Tk 48,000 per month, while those in Grades 2, 3 and 4 would receive Tk 43,000, Tk 38,000 and Tk 32,000, respectively. The workers’ side has also proposed a monthly wage of Tk 30,000 for newly recruited employees during their probationary period.
For garment-sector staff, the proposed monthly salaries are higher. The workers’ representatives have sought Tk 55,000 for Grade 1, Tk 50,000 for Grade 2, Tk 45,000 for Grade 3 and Tk 40,000 for Grade 4 employees.
Akhter, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, said the proposed figures reflected an effort to balance workers’ living costs with the industry’s financial capacity.
He noted that a family of four requires substantially more to cover food, housing, healthcare and children’s education. Based on current market prices and household expenses, he estimated that a garment worker would need between Tk 45,000 and Tk 60,000 a month to meet basic family needs.
However, he said the workers’ side had moderated its demand after considering the industry’s ability to pay and the expectations of employees.
The employers’ representatives did not submit their proposed wage structure at Monday’s meeting. ABM Shamsuddin, a director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and a representative of the employers, said they had sought additional time because of the unrest and disruptions in Dhaka and surrounding areas.
The board granted the employers four working days to submit their proposal, although they had initially requested seven working days.
Board Chairman Syed Azad Subhani said the board would not wait indefinitely for the employers’ submission if they failed to meet the revised deadline.
The next meeting is scheduled for November 16, he said.
Shamsuddin also indicated that the new wage structure was expected to take effect in December, with workers receiving the revised salaries at the beginning of January.
The wage review comes amid months of tension in the garment industry, with workers demanding higher pay amid rising living costs. Protests and clashes have been reported in Mirpur, Savar, Gazipur and Narayanganj.
The government reconstituted the minimum wage board for the garment sector on November 1. At its first meeting on November 4, the board announced that the new wage structure would come into effect in December. Following the announcement, workers gradually began returning to factories.
The current minimum wage for garment workers was set at Tk 12,500 in November 2023, up from Tk 8,000 — an increase of 56.25%. The revised rate took effect in December of that year.
The current wage structure is due to expire in November 2026. Meanwhile, amendments to the country’s labour law this year reduced the interval for reviewing minimum wages from five years to three years.
Worker representative Akhter expressed hope that the board would consider workers’ purchasing power, actual living conditions, industry capacity and field-level research before recommending a new wage structure.
