The unanimous decisions of the May 24 meeting included issuing of official appointment letters to all garment workers, an increase in their minimum wages, weekly holidays for them, and allowing of trade union rights at every factory. The tripartite meeting was held following violent demonstrations by garment workers in Savar, Gazipur and Mirpur on May 22 and 23 that left a worker dead and thousands injured.

Bangladesh Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendra threatened to go for a tougher movement if the decisions of the May 24 meeting are not implemented within the next 21 days.

The ultimatum came from a grand rally organised by the Kendra at Muktangon in the capital yesterday, which was joined by several thousand garment workers carrying sticks, red flags, red banners, festoons and placards. The workers chanted different slogans against the government and the owners of garment factories.

Leaders of the organisation urged the government and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to take effective steps to meet their demands.

President of the Kendra Edris Ali said Tk 930 as minimum salary for a garment worker was set in 1994 and since then it was never increased in the last 12 years.

"The accumulated discontent turned into clashes in the garment factories at Savar, Gazipur and Mirpur on May 22 and 23 because prices of essentials tripled in 12 years while their minimum salary remains at Tk 930," he said while addressing the rally.

Among others Trade Union Kendra general Secretary and Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (Skop) Central Co-ordinator Dr Wazedul Islam Khan and labour leaders Sahidullah Chowdhury, Sadekur Rahman Shamim, Hafizul Islam, Ziaul Kabir Khokan, Dr MA Kashem, Zahanara Begum, Tuhin Chowdhury and Atikul Islam were also present.

Garment Sramik and Shilpa Rakkha Jatiya Mancha, from another rally also held at the Muktangon area yesterday, called for a dawn to dusk strike at all garment factories across the country on June 12 if their five-point demands including declaration of Tk 3000 as minimum wage for garment workers and 30 percent dearness allowance for them, are not met by June 10.

Leaders of Garment Workers Unity Forum at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters Unity threatened the government with countrywide movement if their 11-piont demands are not met within the next two months.

They alleged that the role of the government was not earnest enough in resolving the workers’ discontent as in the tripartite meeting on May 24 it did not set the minimum wage and the time of activation of the new wage for the garment workers.

Reading out a written statement, Forum President Moshrefa Mishu said garment workers from different parts of the country including Dhaka, Gazipur, Savar, Narayanganj and Chittagong informed them over the phone that factory owners are not taking initiatives to meet the workers’ 11-point demands.

Instead, the owners filed false cases against 3,500 garment workers and more than one cases against their leaders, Mishu alleged.

"Both garment factory owners and workers invest money and labour respectively, the owners earn profit depriving the workers," she said adding, "the investment of workers is not valued."

To resolve the existing tension in the garment industry Mishu suggested that the government should take strong initiative to ensure the rights of the workers.

The forum leaders called for 'constructive movement' around the country instead of 'destructive approach' in order to save the garment industry.

They also demanded impartial investigation of the incidents in garment industry hubs in Dhaka, Gazipur and Savar on May 22, 23 and 24.