Bangladesh garment workers demand 30,000 taka amid vandalism, tear gas
Bangladesh's garment workers are out on the streets, demanding their minimum monthly wage jump from 12,500 to 30,000 taka.
Protests started in major hubs like Dhaka and Gazipur and quickly turned tense: some factories were vandalized, vehicles set on fire, and police responded with tear gas.
Garment sector employs around 4 million
This isn't just about paychecks: it's about millions of livelihoods.
The garment sector makes up over 80% of Bangladesh's export earnings and employs around 4 million people, mostly women.
Workers say they deserve better pay, especially after a recent government announcement of a new pay scale for public sector employees, but factory owners argue that rising costs and fewer orders make big raises tough.
Even with a government wage board in place, the protests show just how urgent this issue is for so many families.