Government gazette on the wage board-recommended Tk 12,500 as minimum pay for entry-level garment workers has been published although labour unrest on demand for doubling the amount continued.
Meanwhile, another garment worker died from his wounds suffered amid clashes that upset Bangladesh's main export industry and cast shadows on shipments, sources say.
The gazette notification on the minimum wage has been issued as per the Bangladesh Labour Law 2006.
Anyone could give written objections or recommendations regarding the pay structure within 14 days after the gazette that was published on November 11, according to the Bangladesh Labour and Employment Ministry.
Meanwhile, more than a dozen recognised labour organisations, however, placed their official objections against the Tk 12,500 minimum pay on Sunday, renewing their demand for Tk 23,000 to 25,000.
Workers and their representing organisations have been staging protests for one year on demand for a pay hike following rocketing livelihood expenditure.
On the other hand, a total of four workers died in last two weeks in the garment hubs in clashes with law enforcers.
However, the gazette on the new pay was issued just 5 days after a meeting of the government-formed wage board had recommended a 56.6-percent hike in the existing pay of Tk 8000, declared in 2018.
On November 7, state minister for labour Monnujan Sufian at a press conference declared the Tk 12,500 minimum monthly wage for an entrant.
The new minimum wage for fifth grade (lowest grade) includes a basic pay of 6700 from Tk 4,100. It includes Tk 3350 as house rent which is now Tk 2,050.
The 5.0-percent annual increment has been declared like that of last wage.
The package also includes Tk 750 as medical allowance from Tk 600, Tk 450 as transport allowance from Tk 350 and Tk 1250 as food subsidies against Tk 900 now.
The new wage has mentioned five grades which was six previously.
The gross pay of one to four grades has been fixed at Tk 14,750, Tk 14,150, Tk 13,550 and Tk 13,025 respectively.
Meanwhile, the representations of 'the Garment Workers Wage Raise Movement' formally lodged an objection with the Minimum Wage Board and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, contesting the announced minimum wage of Tk 12,500 for 4.0 million workers.
Prior to the official submission, the leaders had submitted objection letters highlighting numerous limitations and inconsistencies in the wage revision, advocating for a revised amount of Tk 25,000.
The objection letter underwent a dual submission process--first presented to the Wage Board and subsequently to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Preceding the objection-letter submission to the Wage Board, the leaders disseminated information about the programme to Garment Sramik Movement, involving 11 organisations.
Notable participants included Coordinator of the Movement Taslima Akhter, Alliance Member Secretary Sadekur Rahman Shamim, President of Garment Sramik Trade Union Center Montu Ghosh, President of Bangladesh Textile Garment Sramik Federation Mahbubur Rahman Ismail, OSK Garments and Textiles Workers Federation General Secretary Prakash Dutta, Garment Workers Federation General Secretary Raju Ahmed, Garment Workers Unity Forum General Secretary Shahidul Islam Sabuj, Garment Workers Mukti Andolon President Shabnam Hafeez, Biplobi Garment Workers Solidarity Central Leader Pradip Roy, and Garment Workers Solidarity General Secretary Babul Hossain, among others.
Taslima Akhter said, "We are demanding a review in the announced minimum pay by the government."
She said the Wage Board claims an overall increase of 56.6 compared to the previous period, but this calculation is "flawed while considering both increments and inflation".
Five years ago, in 2018, the minimum wage was announced at Tk 8,000 or approximately US $ 95.35. At that time, one dollar equaled Tk 83.90.
However, due to the appreciation of the US dollar against BDT, that same Tk 8,000 wage now translates to only 72 dollars in 2023.
As of November 7, one dollar is valued at 110.5, making 12,500 taka equivalent to 113 dollars while the last minimum wage was $ 95.35-only a 18.51 per cent hike.
Joli Taluder, vice president of Garment Sromik Trade Union, said consequently, it is imperative to revise the wages in accordance with the current dollar price and the market cost of sustaining a family of four.
However, drawing attention to the precedent set by wage revisions in 2018 and 2013, facilitated by the Prime Minister's intervention, she called for similar intervention before the finalisation of the pay.
Simultaneously, she demanded the withdrawal of assault charges and a reassessment of the proposed wages.
Meanwhile, death toll in the ongoing worker protests reached four on Sunday as Jalal Uddin, 40, supervisor of a factory of Islam Group, injured during the clash between workers and police on November 08, died on the day.
Workers of several garment factories in Mirpur on Sunday continued demonstrations rejecting the government-announced Tk 12,500 as minimum monthly wages and demanded Tk 23,000.
They led a protest march from Kafrul to Mirpur-10 before occupying the road around 8:30 am and two hours after law enforcers were able to convince them to leave the road, according to law-enforcing agencies.
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