Bangladesh garment factories disrupted as wage protests enter third day
Thousands of workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka amid ongoing industrial unrest.
Garment factories in Bangladesh faced disruptions on Monday as worker protests over pay and living costs entered their third day. According to Al Jazeera, approximately 500 factories were temporarily closed after demonstrations began on Saturday in industrial hubs including Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur, and the Mirpur area of Dhaka.
The workers are seeking to increase the minimum monthly wage from 12,500 taka ($101) to 30,000 taka ($242). This demand follows a recent government announcement that roughly doubled salaries and benefits for government employees.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held an emergency meeting with ministers on Sunday, stating that attempts are being made to destabilise the country. Security forces and the government have alleged that supporters of the banned Awami League, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, are instigating the unrest.
Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the agitation is being incited from across the border. He met with factory owners at the Secretariat on Monday morning to address the situation.
Babul Akhter, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, said the current wages are insufficient due to the rising cost of living. Conversely, Mahmud Hasan Khan, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the government has formed a wage board to review the pay scale.
Factory owners cited high raw material costs and declining orders as reasons for the difficulty in meeting wage demands. Khan noted that if protests continue, the industry may invoke the 'no work, no pay' provision.