Wage board to be gazetted Sunday, minister urges workers to return to workplaces

The government would publish a gazette notification on Sunday announcing the formation of a wage board for readymade garment workers, labour and employment minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said on Saturday.

The minister said the decision followed discussions with owners’ and workers’ representatives and urged workers to return to their respective workplaces.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting with representatives of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, he said discussions with labour leaders had continued for nearly five hours on Friday.

‘The decision has been taken to announce the wage board tomorrow. Workers’ representatives have also submitted a list of their nominees to the board,’ he added.

The minister said the formation of a wage board had been one of the workers’ key demands and that, since the government had decided to meet that demand, workers should now return to work.

The government had also asked the BGMEA and BKMEA to ensure the prompt payment of outstanding wages and other dues at factories where workers had yet to receive their payments, he said.

He urged all concerned to remain alert to attempts by anyone to destabilise the situation for personal or political interests unrelated to workers’ welfare.

The minister said factory owners had agreed to form a wage board with a three-year tenure instead of five years and had also nominated their representatives.

Responding to questions from journalists, he said factory owners had no objection to the workers’ demands.

However, they were concerned that factory closures could disrupt production and shipments, making it difficult to receive payments from foreign buyers and pay workers on time.

Asked about workers’ demonstrations and road blockades in areas including Mirpur, the minister claimed that regular factory workers were not involved and that people affiliated with political parties from outside the garment sector were attempting to destabilise the situation.

The minister said normal production at factories should resume following the government’s initiatives to clear outstanding wages and form the wage board.