Demand for minimum wage of Tk 20,000 for workers

Savar Correspondent: Bangladesh Trade Union Center (TUC) has demanded immediate announcement of minimum national wage of Tk 20,000 for workers in Ashulia of Savar to ensure social security including rationing, accommodation, health and education in the forthcoming budget. The discussion meeting was organized by the Savar-Ashulia Regional Committee in the Ashulia Press Club Hall room around 4:30 pm on Friday. Advocate Montu Ghosh, President of Garment Workers Trade Union Center was the chief guest at the function presided over by Khairul Mamun Mintu, President of Savar-Ashulia Regional Committee of Bangladesh Trade Union Center. Speakers at the discussion said that Ashulia Industrial Area is the birthplace of the labor movement. Workers all over the country are looking at Ashulia. Earlier, the workers of this region had played an important role in every wage increase movement. Once again, the workers of Ashulia have to play a key role in the movement to increase the minimum wage to Tk 20,000. Speaking as the chief guest, Advocate Montu Ghosh, President of the Garment Workers Trade Union Center, said that they had secured their rights through the Garment Workers Movement in 2006. Therefore, the struggle must be intensified in the spirit of the Garment Workers Rebellion of 22-23 May 2006. The grief and misery of the workers at that time is still there. In the current situation, the wages of the workers are still very low. A worker has to live a hard life with a minimum wage of Tk 8,000. Because of rising commodity prices, it has become difficult for them to survive on these wages. Therefore, in the next budget, the national minimum wage of workers will be announced at Tk 20,000, social security including rations, housing, health and education will be ensured and labor laws and rules will have to be formulated in accordance with the constitution and ILO conventions. He also called upon the workers to unite in the light of May Day to assert their rights. Special guests on the occasion were Aslam Khan, Dhaka Metropolitan Secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union Center and Idris Ali, former President of Garment Workers Trade Union Center.