The Sammilito Garments Sramik Federation (SGSF) on Tuesday demanded food rationing facility for ready-made garment workers of the country amid high prices of essential commodities.
The rights group also demanded review of the latest minimum wage and its full implementation with an equal 56.7 per cent hike in all grades in all garment factories.
SGSF president Nazma Akter made the four-point demand at a press conference at the National Press Club in the capital.
"Although RMG contributes 84 per cent of the country's total export earnings, its 4.2 million workers are passing days in dire hardship mainly because of high prices of essentials," Ms Akter said.
Due to low wages, workers face difficulties in meeting basic needs, thus affecting nutrition and their productivity.
Considering the inflation rate during the last five years since 2018, the SGSF proposed Tk 23,000 as minimum monthly wages and also submitted its objection to the minimum wage board after it published the draft proposal of TK 12,500, she said.
Four garment workers died while many were injured during the protest for wage hike last year, she said, adding that a good number of the injured workers are yet to come back to normal work life while 40 cases were filed against 20,000 workers.
The SGSF president also demanded withdrawal of those cases.
She further alleged that workers are being harassed in case of getting re-employed as the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association has been listing the workers who participated in wage protest.
The SGSF leader urged the government to monitor the BGMEA's biometric database of workers.
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