According to recent reports, ongoing protests in Bangladesh have led to clashes between hundreds of garment workers and the police for the second consecutive day. The workers are rejecting a government-proposed pay raise, leading to the closure of approximately 40 factories in the country, which is the world’s second-largest clothing exporter.
Eyewitnesses reported that the protesters, demanding twice the amount of the proposed increase, engaged in stone-throwing and vandalism in the garment hub of Gazipur, located on the outskirts of the capital. Local police official Imran Ahmed stated that the situation has been brought under control, with the deployment of additional police and paramilitary troops in Gazipur and the nearby Ashulia industrial belt.
The garment industry, constituting 16% of Bangladesh’s GDP, saw the government announce a 56.25% increase in the minimum monthly wage to 12,500 taka ($114) effective from December 1, the first such raise in five years. However, the workers are persisting in their demands for more substantial pay raises, leading to factory closures and ongoing disruptions.
While the protests continue, the issue of escalating prices and the demand for decent wages remains at the forefront of the workers’ demands. The situation has also been compounded by simultaneous anti-government demonstrations calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and a transparent election under a caretaker government.
Bangladesh’s garment industry, with its low wages, has become a major player in the global supply chain, catering to renowned brands like H&M and Gap. In response, a U.S. association representing over 1,000 global brands has committed to paying higher purchase prices to manufacturers in Bangladesh to support the increase in workers’ wages.
