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Bangladesh garment factories close after protests

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Industrial hubs across the outskirts of Dhaka faced severe disruptions as workers took to the streets demanding their minimum monthly wage be raised from 12,500 takas to 30,000 takas. Police deployed tear gas, stun grenades, and over 10,000 officers to contain crowds after demonstrations turned violent, resulting in injuries and arrests. The nationwide unrest prompted government intervention through a newly appointed wage board led by Chairman Syed Azad Subhani. Subhani announced that the workforce will receive compensation under a freshly negotiated structure starting in January.

Key points

  • Unrest has severely impacted an export sector that generates roughly $40 billion annually…: Unrest has severely impacted an export sector that generates roughly $40 billion annually and employs around four million individuals.
  • Clashes with security forces led to highway blockades and widespread operational shutdown…: Clashes with security forces led to highway blockades and widespread operational shutdowns across major industrial hubs.
  • The government formed a dedicated wage board to implement a revised worker salary structu…: The government formed a dedicated wage board to implement a revised worker salary structure beginning in January.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Dhaka: Police in Bangladesh fired tear gas and used stun grenades Wednesday to disperse garment workers protesting for higher wages, police and witnesses said.

Hundreds of factories remained shut after days of protests disrupted the country's garment industry, which earns about USD 40 billion a year from exports. Bangladesh has some 2,500 garment factories.

Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 takas (USD 245), up from 12,500 takas. They say rising living costs and inflation have eroded their purchasing power.

The industry employs about 4 million workers, mostly women from rural Bangladesh.

After days of demonstrations in the capital, Dhaka, violence was reported in several industrial areas on its outskirts.

In Fatullah, in Narayanganj district outside Dhaka, dozens of people were injured in clashes between protesters and police, according to media reports. Police fired tear gas and used stun grenades.

Prothom Alo, Bangladesh's largest Bengali-language daily, reported that police arrested several protesters in Fatullah.

About 100 factories remain shut in Ashulia, in Savar near Dhaka, said Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police.

Workers also blocked a…

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