Bangladesh garment worker protests leave 50 injured and force over 200 factories to close as thousands demand a Tk 30,000 minimum monthly wage….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Bangladesh garment worker protests turned violent on Thursday, leaving at least 50 people injured and forcing more than 200 factories in Savar and Ashulia to suspend operations. Thousands of workers took to the streets across major industrial areas, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000 amid rising living costs.
The unrest spread across Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj, with demonstrations, road blockades and clashes with law enforcement personnel prompting the deployment of additional security forces.
Violence was reported in the Padma Mor area of Hemayetpur in Savar before spreading to Ulail, where garment workers clashed with police outside the Al-Muslim Group factory.
Protesters allegedly pelted police personnel with bricks and stones, while security forces responded by firing tear gas shells, sound grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. A vehicle belonging to the officer-in-charge of Savar Model Police Station was also set on fire, according to Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune.
Dhaka District Superintendent of Police Shamima Parveen said at least 50 people, including police personnel, workers and pedestrians, were injured during the clashes. Officer-in-Charge Saiful Alam also sustained serious injuries, she added.
The violence erupted after workers gathered near Padma Mor to press for their wage demands. Tensions escalated when police attempted to remove demonstrators who had blocked the road, triggering confrontations that subsequently spread to neighbouring areas.
Workers also blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway, bringing traffic to a standstill in both directions and causing severe congestion. Shamima said between 30,000 and 40,000 workers had assembled in the area from both sides of the highway.
Following the unrest, more than 200 factories in Savar and Ashulia were forced to announce holidays. Several industrial units in Hemayetpur, Ulail and surrounding areas also suspended operations amid concerns over the continuing violence.
Three platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were deployed across Savar and Ashulia to maintain security in the industrial belt.
Garment workers demand Tk 30,000 minimum wage
The protests were also reported in Gazipur, where garment workers blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway near Signboard in the Gacha area on Wednesday morning, disrupting traffic.
An estimated 2,000 to 4,000 workers took to the streets and threw bricks and stones at police during a standoff. Police responded with tear gas shells and sound grenades in an attempt to disperse the demonstrators, Dhaka Tribune reported.
The workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, arguing that the existing minimum wage of Tk 12,500 is insufficient to meet the rising cost of living.
Their demands extend beyond an increase in basic pay. Workers are also seeking the introduction of rationing facilities in every garment factory, protection of trade union rights and an end to arbitrary dismissals and blacklisting.
They have additionally called for justice for deceased workers, making the demonstrations part of broader demands concerning employment conditions and workers’ rights.
The latest unrest has disrupted operations across several of Bangladesh’s major garment manufacturing centres, with factory closures and highway blockades affecting industrial activity and transport.
Security personnel have been deployed in affected areas as authorities seek to contain the demonstrations and prevent further confrontations.
