Savar tannery workers demand implementation of minimum wage

Workers from various factories within the Savar Tannery Industrial Estate staged demonstrations today (28 January), calling for the immediate implementation of the government-declared minimum wage. 

Hundreds of workers gathered on the main road inside the estate near the Apex Tannery under the banner of the Tannery Workers Union. The protest began at 10am and continued until 12pm, with workers warning of tougher actions if their demands remain unmet.

The protesting workers voiced their frustration, pointing out that while minimum wages in other sectors were implemented promptly after being announced, tannery owners have delayed enforcement under various pretexts, leaving them in financial hardship.

Speaking to The Business Standard during the protest, Nilufa, a member of the Tannery Workers Union and an employee at Apex Tannery, said, "The government announced minimum wages for us across five grades through the wage board, with the lowest grade set at Tk18,000."

"The announcement was made with the agreement of all stakeholders. However, now the owners are claiming that the wages are too high for them to bear," she said.

"Our current salaries range from Tk8,000 to Tk10,000, which is insufficient to run a household," Nilufa stated.

Faruk Hossain, another worker, highlighted that the government published the wage gazette on 21 November last year, but the wages remain unimplemented. "We will continue protesting until our demands are met," he said.  

Abdul Malek, general secretary of the Tannery Workers Union, said, "We have held numerous discussions with the owners, but they have still not implemented the minimum wage."

When contacted, Md Sakhawat Ullah, general secretary of the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), told TBS, "Discussions with all parties are ongoing. We are hopeful that we can reach a fair resolution to this crisis through dialogue very soon."