Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Tuesday said the gazette notification for forming a wage board for the garment sector would be issued within two days of receiving the workers’ nominees, provided there were no public holidays.

He made the announcement at a press briefing on labour unrest and the wage board at the CIRDAP International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

The minister said the government and employers had already submitted the names of their representatives, and the government was waiting for the workers’ nominees. He urged labour leaders to discuss the matter and submit their nominations within the next week.

Addressing outstanding wages, Ariful urged employers to ensure prompt payment and said the government would contact factory owners concerned to help settle unpaid dues.

He called for cooperation among workers, employers and the government to resolve labour disputes, suggesting that factory-level issues be addressed internally with support from labour unions, employers’ associations and the government.

The minister also urged workers not to take to the streets or disrupt traffic. At the same time, he called on relevant government agencies to prevent outsiders with no links to workers or employers from instigating unrest.

IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) General Secretary Salauddin Swapan told Daily Waadaa that efforts were underway to amend labour regulations, raising hopes for the formation of a free and fair wage board under the ministry’s supervision.

He said the process could be completed within the month if worker representatives and employers worked together.

Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said the association had received a letter from the Department of Labour under the Ministry of Labour and Employment 12 to 13 days ago seeking nominations for the new wage board.

“We have submitted the names of our representatives for the formation of the new wage board. This demonstrates that we are extremely serious about the formation of the wage board. The government is also highly committed to increasing workers’ wages,” he told Waadaa.

Hatem said employers would need to negotiate with foreign buyers over product prices once the new wage structure was finalised to account for higher labour costs.

He expressed optimism that future disputes could be avoided if workers and employers maintained a common understanding and a cooperative approach.

The BKMEA president also urged workers not to damage industrial facilities or put the government in an embarrassing position, stressing the importance of maintaining industrial peace and stability.