Thousands demand more than double the minimum pay amid soaring living costs; government forms wage board while unrest spreads across industrial hubs.
Thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh clashed with police this week as protests over stagnant wages intensified, forcing hundreds of factories to suspend operations in the country’s vital ready-made garment sector. Demonstrators blocked major roads, vandalised vehicles and factories, and faced tear gas, water cannons and sound grenades in and around the capital Dhaka, underscoring deep frustration over the rising cost of living.
The unrest, which began over the weekend and continued into early November, has disrupted production at hundreds of plants in key industrial zones including Mirpur in Dhaka, Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj. On Sunday, more than 500 factories declared holidays or halted work, affecting nearly one million workers. By Monday, industry reports indicated that around 670 factories had suspended operations as fresh clashes erupted. Police said dozens of protesters were arrested, while at least 58 officers were reported injured in the violence since the protests began.
Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka (approximately $242-245), more than double the current rate of 12,500 taka set in late 2023. Labour representatives and protesters say the existing pay no longer covers basic needs as food, housing, transport and healthcare costs have climbed sharply amid persistent inflation. Many workers describe living hand-to-mouth, with wages often gone within days on rent, market debts and essentials.
Bangladesh Garment Workers Protest Over Wages, Clashes Erupt with Police:
In Dhaka’s Mirpur neighbourhood, large groups of workers blocked key intersections, prompting police to deploy tear gas and water cannons after stones and bricks were thrown. In Gazipur, north of the capital, protesters blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, one of the country’s busiest industrial corridors, and in some incidents set a police vehicle on fire. Similar scenes played out in Ashulia, a major manufacturing hub on Dhaka’s outskirts, where factories were vandalised and roads obstructed. Authorities deployed Border Guard Bangladesh personnel in some areas to help restore order.
The government moved quickly to contain the crisis. On Sunday it announced the formation of a six-member wage board comprising representatives from the government, factory owners and workers to review the minimum wage. Labour and Employment officials urged workers to return to their jobs, saying the board would examine the demands in light of current economic conditions. Yet the announcement failed to immediately quell the demonstrations. Labour leaders noted that grievances extend beyond the board’s creation, pointing to broader issues such as inflation, alleged blacklisting of workers and unresolved employment disputes.
Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry is the backbone of the national economy. As the world’s second-largest apparel exporter after China, the sector generates more than 80 percent of the country’s export earnings, employs around four million people-many of them women-and accounts for roughly 10 percent of GDP. It supplies major global brands including H&M, Zara, Walmart and Primark. Industry leaders have warned that prolonged disruptions could delay shipments, erode buyer confidence and create further difficulties for both manufacturers and workers.
Bangladesh Workers Demand Wage Hike:
The last formal minimum wage revision, raising the rate from 8,000 to 12,500 taka, took effect in December 2023. Workers and unions argue that subsequent increases in the cost of living have wiped out those gains. Some protesters have also called for an end to practices they describe as blacklisting and for the reinstatement of dismissed colleagues. Authorities, for their part, have alleged that elements linked to the banned Awami League political party sought to exploit the protests, though they have not publicly presented detailed evidence of organised political interference.
For many workers, the stakes are intensely recast. Interviews with labourers in recent days reveal stories of mounting household debt, inability to afford medical treatment for family members, and the constant pressure of supporting dependents on wages that barely stretch. One worker described receiving her monthly pay only to see it disappear almost immediately on rent and outstanding market debts. Another said a minimum of 30,000 taka would allow families simply “to get by in this market.”
As factories remained closed or operated under uncertainty into Tuesday, both the government and industry associations continued to appeal for calm and a return to work while the wage board begins its deliberations. The protests highlight a recurring tension in Bangladesh’s garment sector: the industry’s critical role in national development alongside the persistent struggle of the workers who power it to secure wages that keep pace with the cost of living.