The Canada Brief

World · 3 d ago

Garment workers leaving a factory in Bangladesh

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Bangladesh forms a wage board as garment workers protest

Minimum monthly wage demanded

30,000 taka ($242)

Workers demand a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($242), more than double the current 12,500 taka ($101).

The six-member board, with government, worker and factory-owner representatives, will set a new minimum wage. Thousands kept protesting around Dhaka on Sunday, and police fired tear gas and sound grenades.

About 30 factories on the outskirts of Dhaka declared holidays, and clashes injured several people, including police officers. The garment sector, the world's largest after China's, makes up about 10 per cent of Bangladesh's GDP.

“The workers should return to work and work smoothly.”

— M Sakhawat Hossain Chowdhury, labour ministry adviser