The government increased the minimum wage of an-entry level garment worker in 2023 but IndustriALL says it is half of what unions demanded. Credit: Shutterstock.

IndustriALL says with inflation hovering above 9%, purchasing power of workers across Bangladesh continues to decline as wages are not enough to meet rising costs.

The government increased the minimum wage of entry-level garment workers from BDT8,000 ($67) to BDT12,500 ($105) explains IndustriALL but adds it is half of what unions demanded.

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The wage increase, which had been backed by factory owners, was met with violent clashes between police and workers.

IndustriALL says that at least 43 criminal cases were filed against 20,000 workers and more than 100 workers were incarcerated in the aftermath of the minimum wage protest. Many of these workers have lost their jobs and employers have blacklisted them making it harder for them to find new employment.

Trade unions, including IndustriALL’s affiliates, are demanding that the continued harassment against workers be stopped immediately, all criminal charges be dropped, and workers be adequately compensated, including the families of those workers who were killed during police action.

Shahidul Badal, general secretary of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council, said: “The declared minimum wage for the readymade garments (RMG) sector should be implemented throughout the industry without any delay and all the criminal cases filed against workers must be immediately dropped.”

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IndustriALL’s affiliates are also demanding that the revised minimum wage be strictly implemented across all garment factories in the country.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Exporters Association did not return request for comment when approached by Just Style.

This article first featured on the IndustriALL website.