Allocate 10% of nat'l budget for workers: Labour bodies
They also raised an eight-point demand, including a rationing system for workers
Leaders of various labour rights organisations in the country have demanded a 10% allocation in the fiscal year 2024-25 budget for the welfare of workers in all sectors.
Addressing a brief rally under the banner of the Bangladesh Textile-Garment Workers' Federation in front of Jatiya Press Club today (5 June), they also raised an eight-point demand, including a rationing system for workers.
Leaders and members of around 20 labour rights organisations took part in the rally. To press home their demands, they tried to hold a road march from Jatiya Press Club to the National Parliament, but the programme had to be cancelled due to police obstructions.
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During the brief rally, the labour leaders said in the garment industry, from 1984 to 2023, labour wages have increased 6 times from Tk427 to Tk12,800 in 40 years. But during this time, the price of daily essentials has increased several times. As a result, the workers' standard of living remains the same.
Advocate Mahbubur Rahman Ismail, president of Textile-Garments Workers Federation, considering the rationing provided to 20 lakh government employees in the unproductive sector from the national budget allocation, it becomes evident that the productive sector workers are deserving of similar rationing.
In her speech, Lovely Yasmin, president of Readymade Garments Workers Federation, said it is a constitutional responsibility of the state to provide people with rationing allocations or to ensure food security.
The labour leaders also prepared a memorandum addressing the Jatiya Sangsad speaker where they said the allocation of only 10% of the national budget or Tk70,000 crore could ensure food security for workers in all sectors.
For the garment industry workers, they said only 1.5% of the budget allocation can implement the rationing system.
Their other demands include establishment of international standard hospitals for workers in industrial zones, permanent housing for workers' families, creation of a universal labour welfare fund and formation of a labor caucus in the parliament.
