‘Going hungry’: Garment workers in Bangladesh say wages barely cover needs
Tens of thousands of workers in world's second-largest apparel exporter hit the streets to demand better minimum wages.
Dhaka, Bangladesh – Laili Begum can no longer afford to keep her two children in school. There are days when the 37-year-old garment worker struggles to put even one proper meal on the table.
An experienced sewing operator at Virtual Bottoms Limited, a ready-made garments factory near Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, Begum earns around 15,000 taka ($121) a month, which sometimes rises to 18,000–20,000 taka ($145–$161) when she works overtime.
Her 15-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son dropped out of school earlier this year because she could not afford their education.
The last revision of the minimum wage in the garment sector took place in December 2023. Since then, prices have continued to climb. Official data put annual inflation at 8.34 percent in September, including 7.22 percent for food and 9.30 percent for non-food expenses.