Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury on Thursday told Parliament that the government will review and reset the minimum wage for tea workers in August as part of its commitment to ensuring their fair rights and improving their overall quality of life.

Speaking on a private member's resolution moved by BNP MP for Moulvibazar-4 Md Showkatul Islam, the minister said the government is giving the highest priority to the sustainable development of the tea industry alongside protecting tea workers' legitimate rights, ensuring safe working conditions and improving their quality of life.

He said the minimum wage for tea workers is reviewed and revised at regular intervals by the Wage Board, which is constituted under the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, with representatives from both employers and workers.

"The process will continue in the future as well," he said.

The minister said wages are determined in accordance with Section 141 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, taking into account several factors, including inflation, employers' financial capacity, production costs and workers' living standards.

He said the government believes that ensuring the welfare of tea workers requires more than periodic wage increases.

"Improving their overall quality of life is equally important," he said.

Ariful said the government has been implementing a range of initiatives to improve housing, ensure access to safe drinking water, strengthen healthcare services, expand educational opportunities for workers' children, enhance skills development and widen social safety net coverage for tea workers.

He said the government remains committed to ensuring tea workers' legitimate rights and a dignified standard of living.

Responding to the resolution, the minister said the issues of public interest and workers' welfare raised by the lawmaker would receive due importance and that the government would continue taking practical measures to address them.

He also informed the House that the next review of tea workers' minimum wage is scheduled for August.

The minister noted that wages in the tea sector are traditionally revised every three years, with a 5 percent increase, and said the Wage Board would meet next month to consider the latest revision.

He assured Parliament that the government would closely monitor the process to ensure that tea workers receive their rightful entitlements.