Labour minister has cancelled his UAE visit as the government moves to address protests demanding a Tk 30,000 minimum wage

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called in several ministers and advisers to discuss measures to address the unrest over garment workers’ wage demands, according to sources in the Cabinet Division.The prime minister has called six to seven ministers and advisers to discuss the prevailing situation. The ministers for finance, home affairs and labour, among others, along with Adviser Mahadi Amin, may attend. The meeting is likely to be held after Maghrib prayers,” a Cabinet Division source said.The decision comes amid labour unrest in Dhaka’s Mirpur, Ashulia and Gazipur, where workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000.Meanwhile, Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury has cancelled his scheduled visit to the United Arab Emirates amid the protests.Sources in the Cabinet Division and the labour ministry confirmed the cancellation, adding that Ariful met the prime minister around 1:00pm today.

Earlier, around 11:30am, the government formed a minimum wage board to review garment workers’ wages.According to sources, the prime minister had issued directives two days ago to address the unrest. However, the formation of the board was delayed as the labour ministry took time to receive the nomination for the workers’ representative.

Announcing the formation of the board at the Secretariat, Ariful told journalists, “We hope the board will convene at the earliest and carry this forward to a stage,” he said.The workers demanded a wage board. The wage board was formed today. I hope they (RMG workers) will now leave the streets and return to the factories,” he added.

The minister also criticised the declaration of holidays at several factories despite assurances from worker leaders that workers would remain at their workplaces following the announcement.Worker leaders sat with us and appealed: the government will form the wage board on Sunday (today), so worker brothers and sisters, please stay in the factories. Yet, unnecessary holidays were declared at several factories today. Workers were told that it [the wage board] had not been announced yet, even though the announcement that we would declare it today was made together with their leaders,” he said.

Ariful alleged that several political organisations were deliberately trying to create instability.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Minimum Wage Board has been asked to initiate the process of determining a new minimum wage for garment workers in consultation with representatives of employers and workers, as well as independent members.

However, no date has been set for the board’s first meeting, and no timeline has been announced for finalising the new wage structure.

Contacted for comment, Minimum Wage Board Chairman Sheikh Ashfaqur Rahman did not answer his phone. He later sent a text message asking to be called back.