IndustriALL demands Tk32,000 monthly minimum wage for RMG workers

IndustriALL, which represents millions of workers across the industrialised world, has formally sought a Tk32,000 monthly wage floor for readymade garment (RMG) workers in Bangladesh. The federation's push reflects growing international focus on labour standards within the country's vital textile and apparel sector, which generates substantial export revenues and employs hundreds of thousands.

The wage demand represents a significant increase from existing minimum wage levels in Bangladesh's garment industry. Worker advocacy groups and international labour organisations have consistently argued that current compensation fails to meet basic living standards for families in major industrial cities.

Bangladesh's RMG sector remains central to the country's economy, but labour rights concerns continue to draw scrutiny from international buyers and trade organisations. The sector has faced repeated criticism over working conditions, safety standards, and wage levels, prompting periodic reviews of wage structures.

The demand by IndustriALL adds to mounting pressure on Bangladesh's government and factory owners to address worker welfare issues. Industry stakeholders, worker representatives, and international bodies have engaged in ongoing discussions about sustainable wage levels that balance worker needs with the sector's competitiveness in global markets.

Photo: Workers on the floor of a ready-made garment factory in Bangladesh, July 2013. Fahad Faisal via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).