The government of Bangladesh is moving forward with plans to establish a wage board for the garment sector amid ongoing labour unrest in key industrial areas, including Gazipur and Mirpur. Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has called on workers’ organisations to submit their nominees for the wage board to facilitate its formal formation.
At a press briefing held on Tuesday at the Cirdap International Conference Centre in Dhaka, Minister Chowdhury emphasized that the government and employers have already provided their representatives’ names. He said that once the workers’ nominees are received, the government will issue a gazette notification to officially form the wage board within two days. While one government source indicated a two-day timeframe after receiving nominations, another official clarified that workers had been given up to one week to nominate their representatives.
The wage board is intended to review garment workers’ wages, addressing demands that have sparked protests across multiple factories. Recent demonstrations in Gazipur’s Kalailakari industrial area and Mirpur saw workers blocking major roads and factories suspending operations temporarily. For example, workers at Essential Clothing Limited in Kalailakari blocked the Dhaka-Tangail Highway Tuesday morning, disrupting traffic for several hours before dispersing.
Minister Chowdhury acknowledged reports of delayed wage payments in zones like Kalailakari and Mirpur, urging factory owners to issue monthly wages within the first seven working days. He also warned against third-party interference in labour issues, promising strict legal action against those exploiting the situation for unlawful purposes. To prevent further unrest, the minister called on workers and factory owners to settle specific grievances through dialogue involving the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), and government bodies, rather than through public demonstrations.
Representatives from the employers’ side, including Md Rezwan Selim, Vice-President of BGMEA, have expressed frustration at the delay in workers’ nominations, linking it to continued disturbances in garment factories. Selim noted that with the pending formation of the wage board, protests have spread to multiple factories in Mirpur, questioning the motivations behind these actions.
Labour leaders have urged calm and cooperation. Razequzzaman Ratan called for a nonviolent approach and an environment conducive to dialogue, while Nazma Akhtar, president of the Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation, attributed protests primarily to delayed wage payments rather than opposition to the wage board. Akhtar urged workers to trust the official wage board process and avoid being influenced by external actors who might subject them to legal risks.
The formation of the wage board is viewed by many stakeholders as a critical step toward resolving ongoing wage disputes and restoring stability in Bangladesh’s vital garment sector. The government’s push for timely nominations aims to expedite this process amid rising tensions in the industry.