The long-awaited minimum wage for the RMG workers is likely to be announced by August next, said former President of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Anisul Haq.

The process to fix the minimum wage is on. It's hard to exactly say right now what would be the amount. But BGMEA is concerned about the country's garment sector and trying its best to save it from getting into further trouble, he told reporters after a meeting with a group of 16 garment workers' associations Sunday.

The garment workers' organisations sat in a marathon meeting with the BGMEA leaders at their Topkhana office this afternoon to discuss the minimum wage and the tripartite agreement signed with the government, owners and workers.

The workers' leaders apprised the meeting how they were living a miserable life with their small amount of salary, while the BGMEA leaders in response mentioned their limitations to fully meet the demands of the workers.

The 16 organisations demanded Tk 4850 in minimum monthly wage, including Tk 3000 as basic salary, Tk 1050 house rent, Tk 300 medical allowance and Tk 400 conveyance.

After the meeting, Anisul Haq, also member of the Wage Commission, told the newsmen that BGMEA is sincerely working to fix the minimum wage for the garment workers, but fell short of mentioning the amount.

Former BGMEA vice-president Shahidul Haque, general secretary of National Garment Workers Federation Amirul Haq Amin, president of Bangladesh Garment Industry Workers Federation Tauhidur Rahman, President of Bangla Garment Workers Federation Kazi Mohammed Ali, general secretary of National Knit Dying Garment Workers Employees Federation MN Jaman Chowdhury, general secretary of Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation Babul Akhter were, among others, present in the meeting.