They reiterated their earlier demand of Tk 3,000 as the minimum wage.

Accusing the government and garment owners of disregarding the tripartite agreement, they said although the government and owners committed to declare and implement the minimum wage within August they are yet to do it.

As per the agreement signed on June 12, the cases against the leaders of garment workers were to be withdrawn but it has not been done, they said, adding that the owners have continued torture and harassment on them.

The workers' leaders also reiterated the demands of issuing identity card to the workers, providing them maternity leave, weekly holiday, proper overtime bill, safety measures and right to trade unionism in the garment units.

"If all the demands are not met within September 12, we will declare strike from a demonstration on September 15," workers' leader Hossain Mollah said, while reading out a statement of National Protection Alliance for Garment Workers and Industries, an alliance of 16 garment workers associations, at a press conference in Dhaka yesterday.

Asked what the workers' stand will be if the garment owners do not accept or implement the demand of Tk 3,000 as the minimum wage, Abul Hossain, a workers' leader, said in that case they would go for 'tougher' movement.

The workers' leaders also warned that the international buyers may take up the minimum wage as an issue, which will ultimately hamper the garment export from Bangladesh.

They criticised the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) for donating vehicles to the police administration while failing to purchase an ambulance for BGMEA's health centre.

Among others, workers' leaders Joinal Abedin, Kamrul Ahsan, Alamgir Roni, Rafiqul Islam Sujon, Nazrul Islam Sabuj, Shafi Uddin Mollah and Lovely Yasmin were present at the press conference.