Shipbreaking workers demand Tk36,000 minimum monthly wage
He further noted that this demand is fully consistent with the constitutional rights of workers, Section 141 of the Labour Act 2006, and International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 131 standards.
The Shipbreaking Workers Trade Union Forum has demanded that the minimum monthly wage for Grade-4 shipbreaking workers be set at Tk36,000.
Speaking at a press conference at the Chattogram Press Club today (13 December), forum leaders expressed deep frustration over the government-mandated minimum wage of Tk16,000 set in 2018, which has not been implemented by employers even after eight years.
Despite repeated peaceful protests and complaints to the Labour Inspection Department, the demand has largely been ignored, they said. Forum Convener Tapan Dutta, in a written statement, demanded that the minimum monthly wage for Grade-4 shipbreaking workers be set at Tk36,000.
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He argued that considering the essential expenses of a five-member worker family including food, housing, education, healthcare, risk allowance, transportation, and future security any lower wage is neither realistic nor humane.
He further noted that this demand is fully consistent with the constitutional rights of workers, Section 141 of the Labour Act 2006, and International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 131 standards.
The forum also called for wage increases for other grades and proposed that trainees be included in Grade-4 after completing three months of training.
During the press briefing, forum leaders accused some employers of forcing workers to work 12 hours daily while still claiming that paying Tk16,000 fulfills the minimum wage requirement, a practice they said violates labour law and deceives workers.
The speakers highlighted Bangladesh's position as the world's leading shipbreaking country, noting that the industry supplies a significant portion of the nation's scrap iron for construction and contributes roughly 0.5% to the national GDP.
Approximately 8,000 workers are directly employed in the sector, while over 100,000 people rely on it indirectly.
The press conference was attended by the forum's Joint Convener and Chattogram division President of the Nationalist Labour Party AM Nazim Uddin, Secretary Fazlul Kabir Mintu, Minimum Wage Board member Md Ali, Bangladesh Trade Union Centre General Secretary Moshiuddin, Nationalist Labour Party Organisational Secretary SM Jamal Uddin, BFTUC General Secretary KM Shahidullah, BMSF Joint Secretary Md Idris, Shipbreaking Workers Trade Union Centre President Manik Mondal, and leaders of various labour organisations.
