A trade union has rejected the proposals submitted by representatives of garment factory owners and workers on minimum wage for entry-level apparel workers.
The Bangladesh Sanjukta Garments Sramik Federation (BSGSF) made the demand at a press conference held in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The BSGSF also demanded announcing Tk 16,000 as minimum monthly wage by this month.
Earlier on Monday, Md Siddiqur Rahman and Shamsunnahar Bhuiyan, representing the owners and the workers proposed Tk 6,360 and Tk 12,020 respectively as the minimum monthly wage for entry-level apparel workers.
They submitted their wage structures to the wage board for the readymade garment sector at its third meeting on Monday.
BSGSF general secretary Bazlur Rahman said his organisation and other rights groups have long been demanding a realistic amount of Tk 16,000, based on cost of living.
Citing a research conducted by Oxfam, he said, the minimum wage for the garment workers is the lowest in Bangladesh compared to that of top seven garment exporting countries.
“Currently the minimum wage in Bangladesh is $67 which should be $252,” Mr Rahman noted.
“But it is a matter of great regret that workers’ representative has proposed Tk12,020 and owners’ representative proposed Tk 6360,” he added.
All the workers have become frustrated over the proposals, he said.
“So we, BSGSF, reject the proposals and urge for re-proposing Tk 16,000 as minimum monthly wages,” he said.
The body also alleged that the wage board has sought time extension for the wage review process which is nothing but a waste of time.
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