New RMG wage board formed

The government has formed a six-member minimum wage board for readymade garment (RMG) workers, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the country's apparel sector employees.

At a press conference at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the Secretariat, Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury announced on Sunday urged workers to leave the streets and return to their respective factories, expressing hope that the newly formed board would determine an appropriate minimum wage as soon as possible.

The board has been constituted under Section 138 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, as amended in 2026. 

The chairman of the existing Minimum Wage Board will serve as the chairman of the newly formed body senior district judge Sheikh Ashfaqur Rahman, while Dhaka University Public Administration Department Professor Dr Mosleh Uddin Ahmed has been appointed as its independent member.

The other members include Asif Ayub, joint secretary-general of the Bangladesh Employers' Federation, representing the employers, and Anwar Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, representing the workers. ABM Shamsuddin has been nominated as the representative of employers in the relevant industry, while Babul Akhter will represent workers in the sector.

Labour and Employment Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarafdar was also present at the press conference.

Describing the formation of the wage board as an important step towards addressing workers' demands, Ariful Haque Chowdhury said the government expected garment workers to resume production without further delay. "I hope that, following this announcement, our worker brothers will leave the streets and return to their respective factories, contributing to a production-friendly environment," he said.

Responding to questions about the proposed minimum wage, the minister said the board would work independently and determine the wage through discussions and consultations among its members.

He urged the board members to complete the process and announce the new wage as quickly as possible, adding that the government would not dictate a specific amount. "The board is independent. It has representatives of both workers and employers, and they will sit together and discuss the matter. The decision now rests with them," he said.

The minister also accused several political organisations of attempting to create instability in the country by exploiting garment workers' grievances. He alleged that a section of people had deliberately mobilised workers on the streets despite the government's prior announcement that the wage board would be declared on Sunday.

According to the minister, the government had held several rounds of discussions with workers, labour leaders and factory owners over the past three days. During those meetings, the labour leaders were informed that the wage board would be announced on Sunday.

He said labour leaders had also assured workers through the media that the government would fulfil their demand by announcing the board and had urged them to remain at their workplaces. "Despite these assurances, workers were brought onto the streets from this morning. This was unnecessary, as the government had already announced that the wage board would be formed today," he said.

The minister further alleged that several factories had declared holidays without sufficient reason, contributing to the disruption.

Claiming that some political groups were trying to use the labour unrest to destabilise the government and cause public suffering, he said the situation suggested a deliberate attempt to create disorder.

He also alleged that a leader of a banned student organisation had joined the demonstrations posing as a garment worker. Referring to photographs circulated on social media, he claimed that the individual was an organisational secretary of the banned group.

When asked about the identity of the organisation, the minister referred to a banned student organisation but did not name it during the briefing.

Asked whether there were concerns about attempts to create instability in December, the minister said certain groups might be using the period to advance their own political interests.