PM Tarique Rahman to Meet Ministers Over Garment Workers’ Wage Protests

The government has stepped up efforts to address growing unrest as garment workers stage demonstrations in various parts of the capital, demanding higher minimum wages. Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has cancelled his planned visit to the United Arab Emirates amid the tensions. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to meet several ministers and advisers on Sunday evening, November 1, to discuss measures to address the unrest.

According to a Cabinet Division source, the prime minister has summoned six to seven ministers and advisers to his office to discuss the situation. Those expected to attend include the ministers responsible for finance, home affairs and labour, along with Adviser Mahdi Amin and officials from several other ministries. The meeting may take place after Maghrib prayers.

Sources at the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Labour said Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury met the prime minister at around 1 pm on Sunday.

Earlier, at approximately 11:30 am, the government announced the formation of a wage board to review garment workers’ wages. Sources said the prime minister had issued instructions two days earlier on measures to address the unrest. However, the formation process was delayed while the ministry awaited the name of the nominee representing the workers.

Announcing the formation of the wage board at the Secretariat, Labour Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury told reporters that the board was expected to meet as soon as possible and make progress towards determining wages.

He said forming a wage board had been one of the workers’ key demands. Following its formation, he expressed hope that workers would end their street demonstrations and return to their factories.

Regarding the protests and factory closures, the minister claimed that labour leaders had previously met with the government and agreed to announce the wage board on Sunday. Despite that understanding, he alleged, several factories had declared holidays and workers had been told that the board had not yet been announced.

The minister further alleged that several political organisations were deliberately trying to create instability. Asked whether the unrest was being fuelled ahead of December, he said he believed that was the case. He also claimed that an organising secretary of a banned student organisation had participated in the minimum-wage demonstrations while posing as a worker, adding that photographs had circulated on social media. These allegations were made by the minister and were not independently verified in the report.

Meanwhile, the wage board’s chairman has been instructed to begin the process of determining garment workers’ minimum wages in consultation with employer and worker representatives, as well as independent members.

However, the date of the board’s first meeting and the deadline for announcing a revised wage structure have yet to be determined.