Bangladesh makes Tk 12,500 minimum wage official for RMG workers

The wage structure has also been streamlined, with the number of grades reduced from five to four. This change was proposed early this month. Seven grades were initially set up in the 2018 structure.

Grade 5, proposed by eliminating grade 6 of the 2018 structure, has now been upgraded to grade 3 and workers in this grade will receive more benefits and the difference in wages from one grade to another has been raised than before, Liaquat Ali Mollah, chairman of the Minimum Wages Board, told a press conference.

As grade 4 of the draft gazette has been merged with grade 3, grade 5 of the draft will now be grade 4.

The wage of grade 3 workers will be Tk 13,550, i.e., 8.4 per cent more than the entry-level grade, he was quoted as saying by domestic media outlets.

The grade 1 wage was Tk 14,750 in the draft, and is Tk15,035 now, and the grade 2 wage was Tk 14,150 in the draft, and is Tk 14,273 now.

On November 7 this year, the government first announced Tk 12,500 as the minimum wage for RMG workers—a 56.25 per cent increase from the Tk 8,000 set in the 2018 structure.

The Garment Workers Trade Union Centre, however, said the final wage structure announced is not acceptable, as the living wage is not at par with in the current market situation despite oppression and loss of lives of workers.

Fresh skilled workers will be deprived of the minimum wage for a long time due to the concept of apprenticeship, it lamented.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)