Police fire tear gas at Bangladesh garment worker demo

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 16:53 · Archive

Police in Bangladesh fired tear gas at thousands of garment workers demanding wage rises, closing over 300 factories.

Labour unrest in Bangladesh's garment sector has entered its fourth day as police fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse protesters in the capital Dhaka and adjoining industrial districts. Factory workers began the protests on Saturday to demand a hike in the monthly minimum entry-level wage to 30,000 Bangladeshi taka from the existing 12,500 taka, which was fixed in 2023. The wage protests have forced owners to suspend operations at more than 300 factories across the country.

On Tuesday, police arrested four people in Dhaka's Mirpur neighbourhood where demonstrators clashed with police for nearly an hour. Several hundred workers from garment factories walked out onto the streets and gathered on a main road, halting traffic during rush hour. At one stage, workers pelted brick chips, with police responding with tear gas and sound grenades.

Outside Dhaka, protesters in the Ashulia and Gazipur industrial districts blocked parts of the Dhaka-Tangail highway. Police fired more than 25 sound grenades to disperse the protesters, who set fire to tyres and rubbish to block the highway, bringing traffic to a halt on both sides for several hours.

In response to the workers' demands, the government formed a panel on Sunday to revise the minimum wage in the garment sector.

How it is being reported

• Police fire tear gas at Bangladesh garment worker demoWage protests by Bangladeshi garment workers have forced owners to suspend operations at more than 300 factories across the country.Perth Now · 3 Nov, 16:19
• Police fire tear gas at Bangladesh garment worker demoWage protests by Bangladeshi garment workers have forced owners to suspend operations at more than 300 factories across the country.The West Australian · 3 Nov, 16:19

In this story: Bangladesh · Dhaka · Ashulia · Gazipur

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