Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The Minimum Wages Board has recommended BDT 3,000 as salary for an entry level garment worker despite opposition from factory owners.

The apparel owners wanted the government to fix the minimum wages at BDT 2,560 a month. The entry level workers constitute around 20 percent of the sector's around three million workers. 

The government is expected to announce the minimum wages for the workers on Thursday. 

The Minimum Wages Board had fixed BDT 1662.50 as minimum wages in June in 2006.

The Board, formed in April to review the wages for the garment sector, has also recommended BDT 2,500 for the apprentice workers against BDT 1,200 fixed in 2006. 

Different organizations advocating rights of the garment workers in a separate statement Wednesday reiterated their demand of fixing the minimum wages at BDT 5,000.

The country's garments industry fetched around US$12 billion in 2009-10, accounting for nearly 80 percent of Bangladesh's total exports.

 

BBN/SSR/SI/AD-29July10-3:54 am (BST)