The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) has demanded a minimum monthly wage of $260 for garment workers, citing rising living costs and growing financial pressure on low-income households.
The labour platform announced the demand following an emergency meeting of its central executive committee on Saturday, according to a statement issued on Sunday. The meeting was chaired by IBC President Mir Abul Kalam Azad and attended by General Secretary Salauddin Shapon, vice presidents Amirul Haque Amin, Chaina Rahman, Ruhul Amin, Babul Akhter and Rashedul Alam Raju, among others.
The IBC said rising prices of essential commodities, higher transport fares following fuel price increases and growing medical expenses had made it increasingly difficult for garment workers to support their families on existing wages.
It also pointed to a recent 100%–142% salary increase for government employees, saying the adjustment had contributed to market instability and intensified financial pressure on low-income people.
In response to these economic challenges, the council called for the minimum monthly wage for garment workers to be set at $260.
The IBC said it would announce proposed wage structures for other grades shortly. Once the full wage board is formally constituted, the council plans to submit a comprehensive written proposal to its chairman and worker representatives. The government has initiated steps to form a wage board to review garment workers’ wages amid renewed labour protests.
On October 15, the Department of Labour sent separate letters to employers’ and workers’ organisations, requesting that each nominate three representatives and submit their details for the formation of the wage board.
