Readymade garment owners say: Over Tk 1,230 as minimum salary won’t be acceptable
The New Nation, Bangladesh
Country’s ready-made garment owners yesterday said that they would not accept more than Tk 1,230 as minimum salary for their workers.
‘If the minimum salary for garment workers is fixed more than Tk 1,230 from the existing Tk 930, many of the garment factory owners will have no alternative, but to close down their factories,’ they said taking part in a discussion at the new office of BGMEA yesterday. The salary of the workers should be enhanced in such a way that the workers do not lose their job in one hand and the factories remain in operation, they said.
The garment leaders also expressed the apprehension that many factories would simply become closed if the minimum salary of workers is fixed at Tk 2,500.
‘Entire ready-made garment sector is now passing through a very critical situation, which has been fighting to survive in the competitive international market,’ said former BGMEA president Annisul Huq.
‘We also want to enhance the salary of workers, but it should be fixed within our affordability,’ he said.
Former BGMEA president Tipu Munshi said the garment factory would not be able to offer Tk 2,500 as minimum salary for the entry level workers because the entry level is considered as the training period for them.
They also called upon the political parties, civil society, and economists to consider the matter carefully before the announcement of minimum wage by a tripartite body.
Chaired by former BGMEA president Tipu Munshi, the discussion was attended by former state minister for power Iqbal Hassan Mahmud, MP, former BGMEA presidents Redowan Ahmed, MP and Zainul Abedin Faruq, MP, Ataur Rahman Khan, MP, Kazi Mohammad Anwar Hossain, MP, Zakaria Taher, MP, Nurul Huda, MP, BGMEA’s first vice-president SM Abu Taiyeb, second vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedi, vice-president Shahidul Huq Sikder (Litu), vice-president Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury Arun, Director Anisul Huq, and Director SM Fazlul Huq.
The discussion was attended by the ruling BNP lawmakers who own one or more ready-made garment factories in the country. However, no member of parliament of the opposition Awami League was invited at the discussion as none of them owns any garment factory.
© Copyright 2003 by The New Nation
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