Govt to announce minimum wage board for garment sector today amid workers' unrest

The government will announce the formation of a minimum wage board for the garment sector today (Sunday), following Saturday's protests by garment workers demanding higher wages in industrial areas of Dhaka, Gazipur and Savar. Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Saturday urged workers to return to their workplaces, saying the announcement would be published in the gazette. Workers' representatives have submitted their list of nominees to the board, according to TBS. On Saturday, workers demanding a minimum wage of Tk 30,000 blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Kaliakair for about six hours before traffic returned to normal around 8pm. Around 30 factories in Ashulia declared holidays, while more than 100 factories in Gazipur, Mirpur and Ashulia suspended operations, according to industry sources cited by TBS.