The government has taken initiatives to provide employments to 26 lakh unemployed youths aiming to achieve the target of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Alongside taking steps to establish rights of nearly 5.67 crore workers, 26 lakh youths will be given jobs as part of our initiative to eliminate the unemployment problem,” State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu told BSS on Sunday.
Referring to 17 SDG targets, he said the 8th SDG target is to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all. “The government has taken massive initiatives to create large-scale employment opportunities, which will eventually ensure inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the country,” Chunnu said.
“Around 42 lakh workers are working in the garment sector. We have increased wages of garment workers as the readymade garments (RMG) sector has emerged as the biggest foreign currency earner in Bangladesh,” he added.
Monthly minimum wage of a garment worker was Taka 1600 in 2009 while the figure rose to 53,000 in 2013, meaning a 223 percent increase in wages, the state minister said.
Like public servants, garment workers are getting 5 percent salary increment facilities, he said, adding that they are enjoying a special welfare fund too.
According to statistics of International Labour Organization (ILO) and Bangladesh Bureau of Statistic (BBS), there are 3.95 crore male labour force in the country while the figure of female labour force is 1.72 crore.
Among the total labour force, 87 percent (nearly 4.70 crore) people are involved with informal work. The remaining 13 percent labour force are working in the formal sector.
The Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry sources said at present, nearly 90 lakh Bangladeshi workers are working in 160 countries. They include a significant number of female workers.
In 2016, around 1.9 lakh women workers were sent to different countries.
