DHAKA – A new minimum wage for garment workers in Bangladesh of 12,500 BDT (US$114) has been announced by State Minister for Labour and Employment Monnujan Sufian. The announcement follows weeks or political infighting and protests by garment workers, unions and rights groups.
The new wage represents a 52 per cent increase on the previous minimum wage of US$75 which was set for garment workers in 2018. Garment industry unions and rights groups in Bangladesh had been calling for an increase in the industry minimum wage from BDT8,000 (US$75) to BDT23,000 (US$215).
In response, garment factory owners had previously proposed a new minimum wage of BDT10,400 (US$94), a 23 per cent rise.
“We are announcing the minimum wage for garment workers as per Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directive,” Sufian told reporters following a meeting with the wage board.
“There will be an annual increment of 5 per cent for them and the pay structure has been reduced from 7 to 5.”
