New minimum wage for garment workers to be announced by December: Mahdi Amin

The new minimum wage for readymade garment workers will be announced within this December, said Mahdi Amin, the Prime Minister's adviser on labour and employment and on expatriates' welfare and overseas employment. He said the neutral wage board will set a logical and fair wage through discussions with all concerned parties. That will protect the interests of workers, the garment industry and the country.

Prime Minister's Office spokesperson Mahdi Amin told reporters this after an emergency tripartite meeting of workers, owners and the government, held on Wednesday (November 4) night in the meeting room of the Ministry of Labour and Employment at the Secretariat to review the country's overall labour situation.

Saying the government has full confidence in the wage board, Mahdi Amin said, 'We believe that those representing the workers and the owners there will, completely impartially and neutrally, through discussions with all stakeholders, ensure an acceptable, logical and fair wage for everyone.'

Mahdi Amin said the first meeting was held in the quickest possible time after the wage board was formed. The second meeting has also been announced. The board has said it will work intensively through November and December and announce the garment workers' minimum wage within December.

The Prime Minister's adviser said the 'Made in Bangladesh' brand has become known worldwide standing on the labour and sweat of the workers. The government will always stand by the workers with the utmost compassion and sincerity.

Calling on workers, owners and the government to work together to protect the garment industry's interests, Mahdi Amin said, 'At today's meeting, worker representatives, owner representatives and the government — we all sat together. Because if this country is to be taken forward and the interests of our garments sector protected, everyone must work together shoulder to shoulder.'

The Prime Minister's adviser alleged that attempts are being made to create instability in the garment sector. He said, 'Some outsiders have come among our peaceful workers and are provoking them and spreading tension to try to create instability.'

Mahdi Amin claimed that although some incidents of violence and sabotage have taken place, innocent ordinary workers are not involved in them. In this situation, he called on everyone to remain alert and cautious.

The government hopes workers will join work spontaneously, normally and peacefully from tomorrow, Thursday. At the same time, the process of regular dialogue and consultation with the wage board will continue, the Prime Minister's adviser said.

Present at the tripartite meeting were Labour and Employment and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the labour and employment ministry Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Labour and Employment Secretary Abdur Rahman Tarafdar, BGMEA president Mahmud Hasan Khan, BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem, Sammilita Garments Sramik Federation president Nazma Akter, Garment Sramik Trade Union Centre president Montu Ghosh, Garments Textile Sramik Federation general secretary Raju Ahmed, Garment Sramik Oikya Forum president Moshrefa Mishu, and leaders of various worker and owner organisations.