Why Bangladesh is on the boil again
What's the story
Protests by garment workers in Bangladesh over low wages and the rising cost of living have disrupted hundreds of factories across the country. About 500 factories were temporarily closed after the protests began on Saturday. Protests were reported for the third day on Monday in the Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur areas, with heavy police presence in the Mirpur industrial area in Dhaka.
Factory shutdown
500 factories temporarily closed
Thousands of workers have taken to the streets, clashing with police who used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse them.
Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($242), more than double their current pay of 12,500 taka ($101).
In response to the unrest, the government announced a new wage board to review garment workers' minimum wages on Sunday. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held an emergency meeting with ministers and advisers over the issue.
Wage review
Garment industry worth about $38 billion
The country's garment industry is worth about $38 billion.
Bangladesh is the world's second-largest apparel exporter after China and a major supplier to global brands such as H&M, Zara, Walmart and Primark.
But workers say current wages are insufficient due to rising costs of living.
"Food prices, cooking gas and electricity bills have all gone up—the government must either bring down the prices of essential commodities or raise our wages," Mamum, 28, a factory worker, told AFP.
Potential consequences
'No work, no pay' provision may be invoked
Factory owners, on the other hand, said the industry faces higher costs, energy market uncertainty linked to Middle East conflict and slowing demand in key export markets.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Mahmud Hasan Khan said if protests continue, they may have to invoke the "no work, no pay" provision.
"If protests break out later....and we are forced to shut factories, we will have no option but to invoke the 'no work, no pay' provision," he said.
Industry struggles
Workers left their workplaces
Bangladesh's main manufacturer associations for garments and knitwear warned that "prolonged unrest could disrupt production, delay export shipments and affect Bangladesh's commitments to international buyers," state-run BSS news agency said on Monday.
Industry representatives said workers from around 529 factories in Dhaka and its surrounding industrial areas, including Savar, Ashulia, Jirani and Gazipur, had left their workplaces on Sunday.