Businesses meet PM to talk garment wage
Business leaders yesterday met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to consult the issue of remuneration for garment workers ahead of the wage board's final meeting tomorrow.
“We mainly talked about the wage issue [of the garment workers] and sought time from her to discuss the current political scenario and the economy,” Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), told The Daily Star after the meeting.
“She assured us of an appointment as soon as she is able to,” he said, adding that Hasina did not fix any salary structure but only discussed the matter.
Atiqul Islam, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association; AKM Salim Osman, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association; and former FBCCI presidents AK Azad and Salman F Rahman were present at the meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office.
Meanwhile, the six-member wage board formed to fix the minimum wage for the garment sector is due to finalise a salary structure tomorrow, AK Roy, chairman of the board, said.
The owners' representative has already proposed a minimum wage of Tk 4,680 per month, said a source in the wage board.
The new salary structure was scheduled to be finalised on October 27 but it was deferred to October 31 due to general strike.
BGMEA president could not be reached for comment despite several attempts.
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