Hundreds of Bangladesh garment factories forced to close over wage protests

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 06:03 · Archive

Hundreds of garment factories in Bangladesh have closed after workers protested for higher wages, with demonstrations in Dhaka turning violent.

Hundreds of garment factories in Bangladesh have closed following days-long protests by workers demanding higher wages. Demonstrations in the capital Dhaka turned violent on Sunday, with protesters blocking roads, vandalising factories and setting vehicles on fire. Police fired tear gas and dozens of protesters were arrested.

Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka (£180), more than double the current standard of around 13,000 taka (£78). They cite rising costs of living, with one worker telling Al Jazeera that food prices, cooking gas and electricity bills have all increased. According to Al Jazeera, garment workers' wages are among the lowest in the world, lower than those in Cambodia (£168), Vietnam (£110–£165) and China's Guangdong region (£224–£300).

Bangladesh's textile industry employs around four million workers, half of them women, and manufactures garments for major global brands including H&M, Primark, Uniqlo, Zara, Levi Strauss and Walmart. The ready-made garment sector accounts for more than 80 per cent of Bangladesh's export earnings, generating nearly $40bn annually and accounting for around 10 per cent of GDP. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest garment exporter after China.

The government announced on Sunday that it had established a board to review workers' wages, and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held an emergency meeting with ministers. There are fears in the industry that prolonged unrest could disrupt production and affect international buyers.

How it is being reported

• ‘Going hungry’: Garment workers in Bangladesh say wages barely cover needsThousands of workers in the world's second-largest apparel exporter have hit the streets to demand better minimum wages.Al Jazeera · 3 Nov, 05:27
• Wage protests force hundreds of Bangladesh garment factories to closeThese factories, which manufacture for brands like H&M and Uniqlo, rely on millions of lowly paid workers.BBC News · 3 Nov, 03:59

In this story: Bangladesh · Dhaka · H&M · Primark · Uniqlo · China · Tarique Rahman

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log