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Bangladesh Garment Factories Disrupted by Worker Protests

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World Desk

In Short: Worker protests demanding higher wages have disrupted hundreds of garment factories in Bangladesh for a third day.

Protests in Bangladesh's garment sector, the world's second-largest after China, continued for a third day on Monday, with hundreds of factories facing disruptions.

About 500 factories were temporarily shuttered after the protests began on Saturday, according to Al Jazeera. The sector is worth about $38 billion and accounts for 80% of the country's export earnings.

The unrest has escalated as workers demand a more than twofold increase in the minimum monthly wage from Tk 12,500 to Tk 30,000, according to OpIndia.

In an attempt to quell the demonstrations, Bangladesh formed a new wage board on Sunday to review the minimum wage for garment workers. However, thousands of workers continued protesting around the capital, Dhaka, despite the announcement.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) reported that 529 factories were disrupted on November 1, with 987,190 workers leaving their workplaces.

The sector employs around four million workers and contributes about 10% of Bangladesh's GDP. The World Bank has projected a GDP growth of just 3.4% in FY2025–26, the slowest pace of growth since the Covid year of 2020.

Local media reports indicated that at least 80 factories across Dhaka and Gazipur declared holidays on Sunday to protect their facilities.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called an emergency meeting with senior ministers and advisers, directing the authorities to ensure workers' safety and keep factories running.

Despite the government's efforts, the protests have led to disruptions in several industrial regions, including Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chattogram, and Savar.

The unrest has also resulted in clashes with police, with a police vehicle set on fire in Mirpur-11 and fires reported at several locations in Gazipur, including a garment factory warehouse.

The Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, represented by Babul Akhter, said workers “cannot handle the lifestyle with that kind of money, and they want a share” of the multibillion-dollar export industry.

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• Protests in Bangladesh's garment sector, the world's second-largest after China, continued for a third day on Monday, with hundreds of factories facing disruptions.
• About 500 factories were temporarily shuttered after the protests began on Saturday, according to Al Jazeera. The sector is worth about $38 billion and accounts for 80% of the country's export earnings.
• The unrest has escalated as workers demand a more than twofold increase in the minimum monthly wage from Tk 12,500 to Tk 30,000, according to OpIndia.
• In an attempt to quell the demonstrations, Bangladesh formed a new wage board on Sunday to review the minimum wage for garment workers. However, thousands of workers continued protesting around the capital, Dhaka, despite the announcement.
• The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) reported that 529 factories were disrupted on November 1, with 987,190 workers leaving their workplaces.
• The sector employs around four million workers and contributes about 10% of Bangladesh's GDP. The World Bank has projected a GDP growth of just 3.4% in FY2025–26, the slowest pace of growth since the Covid year of 2020.
• Local media reports indicated that at least 80 factories across Dhaka and Gazipur declared holidays on Sunday to protect their facilities.
• Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called an emergency meeting with senior ministers and advisers, directing the authorities to ensure workers' safety and keep factories running.
• Despite the government's efforts, the protests have led to disruptions in several industrial regions, including Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chattogram, and Savar.
• The unrest has also resulted in clashes with police, with a police vehicle set on fire in Mirpur-11 and fires reported at several locations in Gazipur, including a garment factory warehouse.
• The Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, represented by Babul Akhter, said workers “cannot handle the lifestyle with that kind of money, and they want a share” of the multibillion-dollar export industry.

What's still developing

• “We expect workers to allow the review process to proceed,” he said.
• But workers’ current wages are “not enough because of the rising cost of living”, Chowdhury said.
• “For the second consecutive day, garment workers took to the streets in different parts of Dhaka, Gazipur and Savar, resulting in the closure of factory operations at around 700–800 factories,” BGMEA director Faisal Samad told Arab News.
• Another 68 factories in Dhaka's Mirpur area reported disruption, affecting 51,625 workers.
• A Daily Star report published on October 22 noted that many garment workers were having to put in 16-hour shifts to earn Tk 19,000 to Tk 20,000 a month, barely enough to cover their families' expenses.
• Overall, the situation report covered 2,134 factories across five industrial regions.
• Workers left 276 factories employing 645,360 people, out of 836 factories covered by BGMEA’s report in those areas.
• "After the Vitamin A campaign, we realised there had been an error in setting our vaccination target. Although the nationwide campaign ended on 20 May, our health workers have been going door to door since 21 May to identify and vaccinate children who were missed," he said.

Sources

• Reuterslink
• Al Jazeeralink
• Arabnewslink
• Business Standardlink
• India Todaylink
• Maritime Gatewaylink
• OpIndialink
• Al Jazeeralink
• Tbsnewslink
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• The Indian Express — video link