Bangladesh Sets Up Wage Board as Garment Protests Shut 529 Factories, Idling Nearly 990,000 Workers
Bangladesh's government said on November 1 that it had set up a wage board to review garment workers' pay, after days of protests demanding a large raise forced the closure of 529 garment factories and left 987,190 workers out of work, according to Reuters reporting from Dhaka on November 1. Thousands of workers again blocked roads in Dhaka and Gazipur on Sunday, and police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators.
The workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka (about $245), more than double the current 12,500 taka, saying rising costs of food, housing, transport and healthcare have sharply eroded their purchasing power. "The cost of living has increased far beyond our incomes," worker Mahin Hossain said. "After paying rent, there is very little left for food, our children's education and other essential expenses. Many are finding it almost impossible to support their families," according to Reuters.
On Sunday, demonstrators blocked roads in Dhaka and in Gazipur, outside the capital, disrupting transport across key industrial areas. Police used tear gas and water cannon after demonstrators threw bricks at officers, and a police vehicle and a police box were set on fire in separate incidents. Authorities deployed Border Guard Bangladesh personnel to maintain order. The unrest followed demonstrations on Saturday in Ashulia, a major garment manufacturing hub on the outskirts of Dhaka, where dozens of factories suspended operations after workers protested for higher pay.
In all, the unrest has forced 529 garment factories to shut down and left 987,190 workers out of work across the country's main industrial hubs, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. The industry employs about 4 million workers, generates more than 80% of Bangladesh's export earnings and contributes about 10% of gross domestic product; Bangladesh is the world's largest ready-made garment exporter after China and supplies many leading Western brands.
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury said the six-member wage board was formed after discussions with workers' representatives and industry leaders, and urged workers to resume work. The board comprises two representatives each from workers and employers, along with a government representative and a neutral member, and has been tasked with reviewing wages in the garment sector and recommending revised pay rates. Choudhury warned that prolonged disruptions could delay export shipments and payments from international buyers, creating further difficulties for manufacturers and workers alike.
Manufacturers say the sector faces rising production costs, periodic gas and electricity shortages, and energy-market uncertainty linked to tensions in the Middle East. "It's not feasible. There is no logical or mathematical basis for such a demand," said Salim Rahman, first vice president of the manufacturers' association, referring to the demand for a 30,000-taka minimum wage. He said such a sharp increase would strain manufacturers already operating on tight margins against intense competition from rival apparel-producing countries.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：孟加拉国一家服装厂的缝制车间（资料图）。Fahad Faisal 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / A sewing floor at a garment factory in Bangladesh (file photo). Photo by Fahad Faisal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
