A government appointed board in Bangladesh voted Monday to recommend nearly doubling the minimum wage for the country’s garment workers in a move that disappointed both factory owners and workers, the New York Times reported.
Bangladesh has become the world’s second largest exporter of apparel after China by keeping average wages under $40 a month. The wage board voted Monday to raise that to about $68.
While the country’s Minister of Labor must approve the increase before it can become law, The Times reported that labor groups widely expect Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to intervene on their behalf.
