Bangladesh Garment Workers Demand Higher Pay As Protests Intensify
What Happened
Garment workers across Dhaka, Gazipur and other industrial areas are demanding that the minimum monthly wage rise from 12,500 taka to 30,000 taka ($245). The unrest has forced 529 factories to close, affecting 987,190 workers, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. Authorities used tear gas and water cannon after some demonstrators threw bricks at police, while separate incidents involved fires at a police vehicle and police box. Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were deployed, and the government has formed a six-member wage board to review workers’ pay.
Key Takeaways
The wage dispute is becoming a major economic risk for Bangladesh, as prolonged factory closures could disrupt an industry employing around 4 million people and generating more than 80% of the country’s export earnings.