Violence erupts during workers’ protests in Bangladesh:Protestors demand pay rise; pelt stones at police, set vehicle on fire

Garment factory workers protested in Bangladesh on Sunday, demanding higher wages. Violence was reported in several places. In the capital Dhaka’s Mirpur area, workers blocked roads. Stones and bricks were thrown at the police, and a police vehicle was set on fire. In Gazipur, protesters blocked a highway and set fire to a police outpost. Meanwhile, at least 30 factories remained closed in the Ashulia area. The workers are demanding that their minimum monthly wage be increased from 12,500 taka to 30,000 taka (around ₹23,000). Three pictures related to the protest Police used a baton charge and also fired tear gas Workers gathered at the Mirpur-10 intersection in Dhaka on Sunday morning. They blocked the roads during the protest. Clashes also broke out between the workers and the police. According to the police, some workers threw bricks and stones at police personnel. The police then carried out a baton charge. Water cannons and tear gas were also used to disperse the crowd. At around 12 noon, a police vehicle parked under the Mirpur-11 Metro Station was also set on fire. The gate of Mirpur-10 Metro Station also had to be closed. On Saturday, workers had blocked the roads in the same area for around four hours. Highway blocked in Gazipur, police outpost set on fire Protests also began on Sunday morning in the Kaliakair area of Gazipur, north of Dhaka. In Gazipur’s Konabari area, protesters set fire to a police outpost. To bring the situation under control, the administration announced the deployment of five platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). As the situation worsened, factory management declared a holiday Workers also staged protests on Saturday in the industrial area of Ashulia, near Dhaka. Work was halted at several factories. Vandalism was also reported in some places. As conditions worsened, the factory management declared a holiday. According to various reports, at least 30 factories remained closed in the area. Government forms board to set wages Amid the protests, the Bangladesh government formed a six-member wage board on Sunday. Its task is to determine new minimum wages for workers at garment factories. Labour Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said the board would set the new wages as soon as possible. It includes representatives of factory owners, workers’ organisations and an independent representative. The government has appealed to the workers to clear the roads and return to work. Rising prices worsen workers’ difficulties The minimum monthly wage for garment factory workers in Bangladesh was set at around ₹9,600 in December 2023. The workers say that even after adding overtime, they receive only around ₹14,000 to ₹15,000, which is not enough to run their households. According to them, a house that rented for around ₹2,000 a few years ago now costs as much as ₹6,000. The cost of food, healthcare and their children’s education has also increased. That is why the workers are demanding that the minimum wage be raised to 30,000 taka. The government has set up a wage board, but it has not yet been decided how much salaries will increase or when the new rates will take effect. More than 40 lakh garment workers in Bangladesh According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), there are around 4,000 registered garment factories in the country. More than 40 lakh people work in them. After China, Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest garment-exporting country. Bangladeshi garments are sold in more than 150 countries. According to the BGMEA, Bangladesh exported garments worth around ₹3.68 lakh crore to other countries in the 2025-26 financial year.