Bangladesh garment workers say life is getting unbearable
DHAKA — Laili Begum can earn up to 20,000 taka a month with overtime sewing clothes at a factory near Dhaka. Even then, she told Al Jazeera, her family sometimes goes without lunch and she can no longer afford to keep her two children in school. On Tuesday, garment workers in Bangladesh protested for a fourth day, demanding a monthly minimum wage of 30,000 taka, up from 12,500. Al Jazeera
The current minimum took effect in December 2023. By September this year, food prices were 7.22% higher than a year earlier, while overall inflation stood at 8.34%. In the industrial district of Ashulia, sewing machine operator Nasima Akter told Bangladeshi news service bdnews24.com that rent and grocery debts consumed most of her 14,500 taka monthly pay. When her son was due to sit his secondary school examination, she could not cover the registration fee. bdnews24.com
Workers press factory owners to seek better prices
The government appointed a six-member wage board on Sunday, with two seats each for workers and employers. The labour minister urged employees to return to work, but protests continued on Tuesday, disrupting factories and transport. More than 500 factories had already closed during the unrest in an industry that employs about four million people and accounts for more than 80% of Bangladesh’s export earnings. reuters.com
Babul Akhter, a union leader who represents workers on the board, said factory owners who cannot afford higher wages should negotiate better prices with overseas buyers. Manufacturers also say buyers have a part to play. Their immediate concern is that further stoppages could delay spring and summer orders for retailers that source clothing from Bangladesh, including H&M, Zara and Primark. reuters.com
The board will now review the pay structure. For workers such as Akter, the amount it recommends will determine how much of a month’s earnings is still available for food and schooling once the rent and debts fall due. reuters.com
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