Bangladesh has been burning for months. The flames of violence have spread so widely that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had to resign. The situation deteriorated to such an extent that she had to leave the country after her resignation.
But what caused this? The truth is, the income of Bangladeshis is not enough to sustain a good life. The introduction of a quota system in the government sector added fuel to the fire. A 30% quota was allocated to freedom fighters and their children for government jobs. This further exacerbated the people's discontent as they have been struggling with unemployment and low minimum wages for many years.
Apart from countries like Burundi and Rwanda, workers in Bangladesh receive the lowest wages.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), while the average minimum wage across 110 countries was $719 in 2022, the minimum wage in Bangladesh was only $45.
Source: aajtak
After China and the European Union, Bangladesh is the world's largest supplier of clothing. Most of Bangladesh's garment industry is concentrated in the capital, Dhaka, and its surrounding areas.
A 2023 report from the Anchor Research Institute reveals that in 2016, the average income of a family in Dhaka was 16,450 BDT, while they needed 25,990 BDT to manage their expenses. By 2023, incomes had increased to 25,462 BDT (approximately INR 18,200), but expenses had also risen to 40,228 BDT (approximately INR 28,800). This means that Bangladeshis earn 37% less than what is needed for basic necessities. The situation is similar in other cities around Dhaka.
Source: aajtak
On October 11, 2023, 16 companies, including Adidas, Puma, Gap, and Levi Strauss, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina regarding minimum wages. The letter emphasized the need for wages that would cover basic needs and accommodate inflation.
Last year, garment industry workers demanded an increase in the minimum wage from 8,000 BDT (INR 5,700) to 23,000 BDT (INR 16,400). According to the Fair Labour Association, the minimum wage in Bangladesh has been 8,000 BDT since 2018. By World Bank standards, this wage places a family of three below the poverty line.
Despite this, the government proposed increasing the minimum wage to 10,400 BDT (INR 7,400), which was still far below the workers' demands. This led to widespread protests across the country in October-November last year.
As a result of the protests, the government increased the minimum wage for garment industry workers to 12,500 BDT (approximately INR 8,900) in December 2023. However, this wage is still insufficient to cover daily expenses.
Source: aajtak
Low wages are a major issue, but the general public is also suffering from skyrocketing inflation. In 2021, the inflation rate was 5.5%, which rose to 7.7% in 2022 and 9.9% in 2023.
The lack of jobs has only compounded these problems. Since 2020, the unemployment rate in Bangladesh has been hovering above 15%.
