Bangladesh garment factories reopen as wage protests continue
Manufacturers remain concerned about further unrest after workers demanded a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka.
Garment factories in Bangladesh reopened on Monday, November 2, 2026, following widespread closures and production disruptions the previous day, according to The Hindu. The ready-made garment sector employs approximately 4 million workers and contributes about 10 per cent to the country's gross domestic product.
The unrest involves workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($243), an increase from the current levels of 12,500 to 13,000 taka. On Sunday, November 1, the government formed a six-member minimum wage board to review the demand. The board includes representatives from the government, workers, and factory owners.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) stated that protests in various cities impacted operations at 529 factories and affected almost 1 million workers. BGMEA president Mahmud Hasan Khan said that if further protests force factory closures, the industry will invoke the 'no work, no pay' provision.
Babul Akhter, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, said that Bangladesh has some of the lowest garment wages globally. Labour and Employment Adviser M. Sakhawat Hossain Chowdhury stated at a news briefing that the issue of forming the wage board has been resolved and urged workers to return to work.
Industry representatives are scheduled to meet the Home Minister to discuss the unrest. The garment sector accounts for more than 80 per cent of Bangladesh's export earnings.