TDS Desk:

Tannery workers in Savar’s BSCIC Leather Industrial City staged a strike on Tuesday, demanding the immediate implementation of the minimum wage structure announced by the government last year.

More than a hundred workers gathered on the main road of the leather industrial park under the banner of the “Tannery Workers Union”, with protests lasting from 10am to 12pm.

The workers warned of escalating their movement if their demands remain unmet.

The minimum wage, set at Tk18,000 across five grades through a gazette published in November 2022, has yet to be implemented in tanneries, said the protesters.

Several female workers from Apex Tannery alleged that while the minimum wage has been enforced in other sectors, their employers keep stalling. Owners are claiming the announced wage was “too high”.

Meanwhile, we are forced to survive on Tk8,000-10,000 a month. How can anyone survive on this in today’s economy, they questioned.

Another protester, Faruk Hossain, said: “We have waited for 13 months while struggling to make ends meet amidst rising living costs. Despite the wage being agreed upon by both employers and employees, its implementation is still pending. We cannot endure this any longer.”

Abdul Malek, general secretary of the Tannery Workers Union, expressed frustration over repeated delays: “Since the announcement of the minimum wage, we’ve had several discussions with the owners. Yet, they have failed to implement it. Workers are left with no choice but to protest.”

Responding to the protests, Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) General Secretary Sakhawat Ullah said: “Discussions with all parties are ongoing. We hope to reach a resolution soon.”

The workers vowed to continue their demonstrations until their demands are fulfilled, warning of stronger protests if the delay persists.