Group with political agenda attempting to create unrest in RMG sector: Ex-BGMEA president

Former BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman has sounded an alarm about vested quarters with political involvement attempting to instigate unrest within the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector, cautioning that such actions could drive buyers to seek alternative sourcing destinations. 

"If they continue this unrest, buyers may move to other sourcing destinations," he warned, underlining the importance of stability and cooperation to maintain the industry's global competitiveness.

While speaking as a special guest at the inaugural ceremony of the Bangladesh Denim Expo at ICCB in the capital on Wednesday (8 November), he criticised the ongoing RMG workers' movement over the minimum wage hike, despite a significant 56.25% increase.

He said, "A quarter of so-called labour leaders are refusing to accept the new wage structure, even with a substantial 56.25% increase, setting the entry-level garment workers' pay at TK12,500."

Additionally, he noted the potential financial strain this wage hike might impose on certain garment factory owners. 

"We understand that this hike may not be affordable to a number of garment factory owners, but we agreed with this hike only because that was the Prime Minister's directive," Siddiqur Rahman said.

At the event, Ziaur Rahman, regional head of H&M for Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Ethiopia, affirmed the brand's commitment to pay in accordance with the new wage structure.

"We want to state that H&M Group respects the [wage restructuring] process," he said urging all stakeholders concerned to reach a consensus that allows fixing a new minimum wage.

The garments sector — the jewel in Bangladesh's export crown, with exports reaching over $46.99 billion in the fiscal year 2023 — was ravaged by protests in recent weeks centring a hike in the minimum wage.

On 30 October, at least two people were killed and about 40 injured in massive clashes between police and ready-made garment workers in several industrial areas in Ashulia, Savar, and Gazipur.

On 21 October, RMG workers took to the streets to demand that their minimum wage be increased from the existing Tk8,000 to Tk20,390. Factory owners, on the other hand, proposed Tk10,400.

Following the weeklong clashes, the factory owners on 1 November agreed to pay higher minimum wages to garment workers than Tk10,400.

The end result was Tk12,500, an increase of 56% finalised by the Minimum Wage Board for the readymade garments sector on Tuesday (7 November).