Key facts
- Workers demand a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($242), more than double the current standard.
- Around 670 factories suspended operations on Monday, according to Reuters and AFP reports cited by the BBC.
- The garment industry generates nearly $40 billion a year, about 10% of Bangladesh's GDP.
- Police arrested at least 29 protesters as of Monday, according to Deputy Commissioner Mohidul Islam.
- Authorities accused the banned Awami League of instigating violence but provided no evidence, the report said.
Hundreds of garment factories in Bangladesh suspended operations after days of protests by workers demanding higher wages, the BBC reported. On Sunday, protests in the capital Dhaka turned violent, with demonstrators blocking roads, vandalizing factories and setting vehicles on fire. Police fired tear gas and later said dozens of protesters had been arrested.
Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($242), more than double the current standard, citing rising living costs. One female worker told BBC Bangla that food prices, cooking gas and electricity bills had all gone up. The government announced on Sunday that it had established a board to review wages, and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held an emergency meeting with ministers.
Demonstrations continued on Monday in Dhaka and nearby manufacturing hubs including Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj. Around 670 factories suspended operations on Monday, according to reports by Reuters and AFP cited by the BBC, and hundreds in these areas will remain shut on Tuesday.
At least 29 protesters were arrested as of Monday, according to Dhaka police Deputy Commissioner Mohidul Islam, who said those who created an unstable environment in the garment factories would come under the law. Authorities accused the Awami League, the banned party of former leader Sheikh Hasina, of taking advantage of the protests to instigate violence, without providing evidence. Home minister Salahuddin Ahmed threatened punitive action against protesters trying to destabilize the country under the guise of labor protests.
Babul Akhter, a workers' representative on the wage board, urged protesters to return to work on Monday, promising to fight for fair wages. The textile industry employs around four million workers and makes garments for brands including H&M, Primark and Uniqlo. It generates nearly $40 billion a year for Bangladesh, about 10% of GDP, making the country the world's second-largest garment exporter after China. State news agency BSS reported fears that prolonged unrest could disrupt production and affect international buyers.