Bangladesh Wage Board Agrees to Revise Garment Pay from December

Bangladesh's garment wage board agreed on 4 November 2026 to implement a revised pay structure from December, with workers to receive the new wages in January. The decision came after five days of protests that disrupted production in the country's main export industry.

Babul Akter, the workers' representative on the six-member board, said both sides accepted the timeline. The board did not set the amount of any increase. Workers have demanded a rise in the monthly minimum from 12,500 taka (about $100) to 30,000 taka (about $240), citing higher food, housing and transport costs.

The industry employs roughly 4 million people and accounts for more than 80 percent of Bangladesh's export earnings, supplying brands such as H&M, Zara and Walmart. Protests began around 31 October in industrial areas near Dhaka, including Gazipur and Narayanganj. Police used tear gas; some factories suspended operations.

The government formed the wage board on 1 November. It is the eighth such panel since 1984. Previous increases have ranged from about 50 percent to 77 percent. The last revision, in 2023, raised the floor by more than 56 percent from 8,000 taka.

Factory owners and unions will submit proposals at the next meeting. Industry officials have noted that a large increase could affect Bangladesh's cost position relative to other Asian exporters. Workers say current wages no longer cover basic living costs amid inflation near 8 percent.

Akter urged workers to return to factories while negotiations continue. The board's chairman, Syed Azad Subhani, will oversee further discussions. The agreement settles only the timing; the scale of the change is still open.