DHAKA, Nov 1 (Reuters) – Bangladesh announced a six-member wage board on Sunday to review garment workers’ pay and urged employees to return to work, but protests demanding higher wages continued across major industrial areas, disrupting transport and factory operations.
Workers in the South Asian nation are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($245), more than double the current 12,500 taka, saying rising costs of food, housing, transport and healthcare have sharply eroded their purchasing power.
The dispute has raised concerns about disruption to an industry that employs about 4 million workers, generates more than 80% of Bangladesh’s export earnings and supplies clothing to many leading Western brands.
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said the wage board was formed after discussions with workers’ representatives and industry leaders and urged workers to resume work.
Despite the announcement, thousands of garment workers staged fresh demonstrations on Sunday.
Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse workers who had blocked a busy intersection in Dhaka, police said. Some protesters hurled bricks at officers during the clashes.
Hundreds of ...