Around 13 per cent of surveyed garment workers in Bangladesh have yet to receive the full wage increase under the country鈥檚 most recently revised minimum wage structure, with some receiving only partial hikes and others none at all, according to a recent study.
The government set the minimum monthly wage for entry-level garment workers at Tk 12,500 in 2023, effective from January 2024.
According to Rajshahi University Institute of Bangladesh Studies Professor Jakir Hossain, approximately 87 per cent of the surveyed workers have received the full wage increase that was reviewed two years ago.
鈥楢mong the remaining 13 per cent, about 8 per cent received a partial increase, while 5 per cent did not get wages aligned with the revised grade,鈥� he said.
He was speaking at a dissemination event on Sunday at a city hotel, where he presented findings from a study titled 鈥楳inimum Wage Implementation in Bangladesh鈥檚 Readymade Garment Sector: Status of Compliance and Consequences for Workers鈥�.
The survey was conducted between May and June 2025 and included 240 workers from 60 factories across Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chattogram, covering knit, woven and composite units.
The event was organised by Awaj Foundation with support from Mondiaal FNV and moderated by Awaj Foundation executive director Nazma Akter.
Former labour secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman, labour ministry joint secretary Md Abdus Samad Al Azad, and country programme director of Solidarity Centre Bangladesh AKM Nasim were among the speakers.
Jakir Hossain said that the implementation of enhanced wages was higher in factories with trade unions and those known to comply with labour regulations.
The study also highlighted other challenges faced by workers under the new wage structure.
It found that 31 per cent surveyed workers reported delays in receiving overtime pay for periods ranging from one to ten months.
Increased workload and production pressure were cited by 52 per cent as their primary difficulties, followed by job insecurity (22 per cent), irregular wage payments (14 per cent) and confusion over proper grade placement and promotion (11 per cent).
The report also showed that 14 per cent of workers were unaware of the 9 per cent annual increment due from January 2025, while around two-thirds confirmed its implementation and 13 per cent had not received it.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Mahmud Hasan Khan refrained from commenting on the 13 per cent non-compliance, saying that the study did not specify whether the factories concerned were BGMEA or BKMEA members.
He said that workers in export-oriented factories typically receive Tk 22,000 to Tk 25,000 at the end of each month.
The BGMEA also called for annual wage revisions to avoid steep hikes of 60 to 90 per cent every five years, which often trigger labour protests.
President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Mohammad Hatem said that all member factories implemented the latest wage hike, though partial increases might have occurred in some cases.
He said that monitoring non-member factories, including compliance with minimum wages and safety standards, is the government鈥檚 responsibility.
Bangladesh programme manager for the International Labour Organisation Neeran Ramjuthan described non-compliance with minimum wages as a matter of deep concern, highlighting that timely and full wage payments are fundamental rights essential for workers鈥� livelihoods and social stability.
She warned that failure to pay wages fully poses reputational risks for both the sector and the country.
Ramjuthan stressed the need for strengthening inspections and oversight, publicly report inspection results, establish regular wage revision cycles, and ensure responsible purchasing practices by buyers to prevent undercutting minimum wages.
IndustriALL Bangladesh Council general secretary Babul Akhter criticised factory owners for setting wage grades arbitrarily in the absence of clear instructions in the wage hike gazette, thereby denying workers their legal entitlement.
