DHAKA, Bangladesh: Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid has categorically rejected any further pay hikes for protesting garment workers demanding a nearly tripled wage increase, after violent clashes with police and factories were ransacked.
Bangladesh’s 3,500 garment factories account for around 85% of its 55 billion dollars in annual exports, supplying many of the world’s top brands including Zara, Levi’s, and H&M.
But conditions are dire for many of the sector’s 4 million workers, the vast majority of whom are females whose monthly salary starts at 8,300 taka, according to AFP.
A government-appointed panel raised wages on Tuesday by 56.25% to 12,500 taka ($113) for the South Asian country’s garment factory workers, who were demanding a 23,000 taka minimum wage in all plants.
PM Hasina told a meeting of her ruling Awami League party late Thursday that she would say to the garment workers: they have to work with whatever their pay is increased, they should continue their work.
Protests in Bangladesh
The demonstrations have left at least 3 workers dead and more than seventy factories ransacked since last week, according to police.
