DHAKA: Garment-sector union leaders Thursday urged the government to reform the wage board dropping the Labour Representative appointed by the government in fixing the minimum wages for the garment workers.

They reiterated the demand for increasing their minimum wages to Tk 5,000 from Tk 1,662 under the minimum wage structure. They will gherao the wage board on June 1 to press their demands.  

The pleas came from a human chain formed by Garment Shramik Sangram Parishad, a coalition of 10 organizations, in the National Press Club area on Thursday morning.

They also alleged that the ruling government appointed its party leader Begum Shamsunnar Bhuyan as Labour Representative on May 3 this year ignoring labour law.

As per the Labour Act, they said, the representative has to be elected by workers.

“But Shamsunnar Bhuyan was neither a garment worker nor a person related with the sector. She is the secretary for women affairs of Awami Sramik League, a wing of the ruling party,” said Mahabubur Rahman Ismail.

President of the Association, Mahabubur Rahman Ismail said, “The government is not cordial in realizing our demands as it had appointed the party person to the post.”

The demo was also addressed, among others, by Rafiqul Islam Pathik, Taslima Akhter, Lima and Alamgir Rony.

BDST: 1301HRS, May 20, 2010
TSA/SMS/MUA