Dhaka, November 11, 2026 — A new Reuters report documents the pressure that living costs place on Bangladeshi garment workers, with interviewees describing difficult choices involving food, rent, healthcare and children’s education.
One worker told Reuters she earns 13,500 taka a month, roughly 16,000 taka including overtime, yet struggles to meet household expenses. Another described how financial strain has affected her children’s schooling. These are individual accounts, not a statistical representation of all garment workers.
The current sector minimum monthly wage is 12,500 taka, while protesting workers are demanding 30,000 taka. A government wage board has indicated a revised pay structure will take effect in December, but the size of the increase remains undecided. Manufacturers cite production costs and international competitiveness as concerns.
Source: Reuters, November 11, 2026. Illustrative photograph.