Watch | Why are Bangladesh garment workers up in arms?
Bangladesh garment workers demand more than double the minimum wage as rising living costs fuel protests and factory shutdowns. Can a wage board end the standoff?
More than 500 garment factories have shut down in Bangladesh, leaving nearly one million workers without work, as protests intensify over a demand to raise the minimum monthly wage to Tk 30,000. The government has formed a wage board to review pay, but factory owners say the proposed increase is financially unfeasible.
Workers are demanding Tk 30,000, equivalent to about $245 a month, more than double the current minimum wage of Tk 12,500. They say rising living costs have made it increasingly difficult to support their families.
Food, housing, transport and healthcare have all become more expensive, while wages have failed to keep pace.
Factory owners, however, are resisting the demand for a sharp increase in wages. How will the issue get addressed?
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