The new minimum monthly wages set for the apparel sector workers is still below what the union initially demanded. Credit: Photo by Mustasinur Rahman Alvi/Eyepix Group/Future Publishing via Getty Images.

The announcement by the Ministry came after Siddiqur Rahman, representative of the apparel factory owners to the minimum wage board set up by the government, submitted a revised proposal of Tk12,500 as the new minimum wage for apparel workers in Bangladesh, according to local news publication, The Daily Star.

The meeting took place at the office of the board in the capital’s Segunbagicha, adds the Bangladesh news publication.

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However, the new minimum monthly wages set for the apparel sector workers is still below what the workers’ representative on the wage board, Sirajul Islam Rony, had proposed in the previous meeting.

The last few weeks has seen civil unrest and demonstrations in Bangladesh which intensified after the fourth meeting of the country’s wage board on 22 October, where garment factory owners proposed to increase the minimum wage to TK10,400, half of what the union had initially proposed.

These continued protests have turned “violent” with the police and protestors clashing, resulting in the death of a woman protestor on Wednesday (8 November), according to Reuters.

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This is reportedly the third fatality within a week as garment workers continue to demand a wage hike. Reuters notes that on Tuesday (7 November), the government said the minimum wage would rise by “56.25% to Tk12,500 ($114) a month from 1 December” which is said to be the “first increase in five years,” but the workers are demanding almost “twice the amount offered.”

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Denim Expert Limited managing director and Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) CEO Mostafiz Uddin told Just Style earlier this week that elections are always a tense period for Bangladesh.

He said: “The fact that some people are also taking to the streets for political reasons, at the same time as there are demonstrations around wages, means that in many ways we have a ‘perfect storm’ which quite understandably has captured global headlines. The situation in Bangladesh is nothing like as serious as is being portrayed in some media outlets and why Bangladesh remains open for business. International buyers can rest assured they can place orders here with confidence.“

The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC), which is an apparel labour union alliance has called on global fashion brands to confirm their commitment to fair pricing and said Bangladesh garment workers have a right to protest following employers’ so-called “meagre” minimum wage proposal.