Bangladesh on Friday launched a subsidised rice sale programme for garment workers, offering rice at 30 taka per kg, as protests over demands for higher wages continued in major industrial areas. Under the special Open Market Sale (OMS) scheme, each garment worker can purchase up to 10 kg of rice a month, according to state-run BSS news agency.
OMS is a Government programme under which essential commodities are sold at subsidised prices to improve access for low-income consumers.
Workers will have to produce their factory identity cards and sign a master roll to purchase the subsidised rice, BSS reported.
The Food Ministry said the initiative was aimed at reducing food expenses for garment workers and improving access to affordable essential commodities. The programme has been introduced in line with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s election manifesto, which pledged to strengthen social protection for marginalised and low-income people, BSS reported. The initiative comes amid protests by garment workers demanding higher wages, with demonstrations and factory disruptions reported in several industrial belts. Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($240), against the existing 12,500 taka ($100).