Staff reporter :
In a significant move for Bangladesh’s garment sector, all workers will receive an increase of Tk 225 in their attendance bonus.
Additionally, the government-mandated minimum wage will be implemented across all factories by October.
Factory authorities have also been instructed to clear any outstanding wages owed to workers by 10 October.
These decisions were part of an agreement between factory owners and workers, addressing 18 key demands presented by the workers.
The joint declaration was made at the Secretariat on Tuesday, following a meeting attended by government officials, leaders from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), and representatives from labour unions.
AHM Safiquzzaman, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, read out the declaration.
Present at the event were Labour and Employment Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Industries Affairs Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, and Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar.
Labour Adviser Bhuiyan expressed optimism that garment factories would resume normal operations on Wednesday, following the resolution of these pressing issues.
Among the key agreements reached was a strict mandate requiring factory owners to pay all outstanding wages by 10 October. Factories failing to comply with this deadline will face legal action under existing labour laws.
The government has also announced the introduction of a central monitoring system to curb local political influence and extortion within the jhoot (fabric waste) business. This system is aimed at protecting workers’ interests in this critical sector.
Furthermore, the government pledged to review and resolve all politically motivated and harassment-related cases filed against workers, particularly those involved in last year’s minimum wage protests.
This review will be conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Law.