Bangladesh garment workers demand Tk30,000 wage as factories shut
Garment workers in Ashulia, Mirpur and Gazipur took to the streets on Saturday, 31 October, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000 and payment of wages already owed. At least 43 factories in Ashulia and Gazipur declared holidays as the protests spread.
Workers say the current minimum is Tk12,500 a month. Their demand is Tk17,500 higher, more than double the present rate. They also want an end to alleged blacklisting and to dismissals they describe as arbitrary.
In Ashulia, unrest began at Nayem Knitwear in Kathgora. Police said bricks were thrown and one officer was taken to hospital with a head injury. At least 23 factories there declared holidays. In Mirpur, workers blocked roads for nearly five hours, bringing traffic to a standstill. Some factories and shops were damaged as workers left.
In Gazipur, workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail Highway near Palli Bidyut, and police used sound grenades to clear it. At least 20 factories there declared holidays. Workers said rising prices had made it hard to live on their present pay, and overtime had become scarcer.
Later on Saturday, Labour Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said a wage board would be formed on Sunday, 1 November, after five hours of talks with labour leaders on Friday. He said employers’ groups had agreed to the board, urged workers to return to work, and said talks had also covered clearing unpaid wages and paying salaries by the seventh of each month.
Why it matters
A wage board is the formal route for setting a new minimum wage, so forming one is a first step, not a decision on the amount. The gap shows why the dispute is sharp: the increase sought is larger than a whole month’s current minimum.
Shutdowns also carry a cost. The minister warned closures could delay deliveries to buyers, which could make it harder for owners to pay wages. For workers, the dispute is about both the wage and whether they can keep their jobs and be paid on time.
What happens next
The next test is Sunday, 1 November, when the government has promised to form the board and publish the decision in the official gazette. No date has been given for a final wage recommendation or revised payments, and Tk30,000 remains a demand, not an agreed rate. Workers must then decide whether to return to work.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/least-11-factories-declare-holiday-amid-worker-unrest-ashulia-police-officer-injured (The Business Standard, 31 October 2026)
- https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/rmg/garment-wage-board-be-formed-tomorrow-no-reason-agitation-minister-1588881 (The Business Standard, 31 October 2026)
- https://asiadaily.org/news/17098/ (Asia Daily, 31 October 2026)
