The government has decided to launch a special Open Market Sale (OMS) program to provide rice at a subsidized rate to workers of the ready-made garment (RMG) industry, who are currently grappling with high inflation. Under this initiative, each garment worker will be able to purchase up to 10 kg of rice per month at Tk 30 per kg. According to sources at the Ministry of Food, a letter has been sent to the Ministry of Finance requesting the allocation of necessary funds, and the program is expected to be launched from November 20.
Details of the Special OMS Program
The Ministry of Food has stated that the special OMS program will initially run for three months. During this period, a garment worker can buy a maximum of 10 kg of rice per month at Tk 30 per kg. The rice will be sold from trucks every Friday. Initially, the program is planned to be implemented in Dhaka metropolis, other areas of Dhaka district, Gazipur district, Narayanganj district, and Chattogram metropolis and other areas of the district.Wage Hike Protests and Allegations of Force
Since the beginning of November, protests have been ongoing among garment factory workers demanding an immediate increase in the minimum wage from Tk 12,500 to Tk 30,000. Prothom Alo published a report on this movement on November 2. The report noted that on November 1, workers from 529 factories in Dhaka, Gazipur, Savar, Ashulia, and Jirani shut down their workplaces and took to the streets.Observers have noted that the report gave more prominence to the statements of police, administration, and factory owners. However, the workers' side was not entirely ignored, as the views of leaders like the president of the Sammilita Garments Sramik Federation were also included. Questions are being raised from various quarters as to why the use of force by the administration against protesting workers continues unabated.
