Bangladesh forms wage board as garment workers keep up protests

The garment industry forms the foundation of Bangladesh's export-driven economy, employing a large workforce and contributing significantly to the country's foreign earnings. In response to ongoing protests, the government established a new wage board on Sunday to examine the minimum wage for garment workers. Despite the formation of the board, thousands of workers continued their demonstrations in industrial regions surrounding Dhaka, leading to confrontations with police who utilized tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the crowds.

The garment sector comprises numerous factories that produce clothing items such as T-shirts, jeans, and sweaters, which are primarily sold to major retailers in Europe and the United States. The industry is also aspiring to broaden its market reach, having recently gained expanded access to Japan and exploring additional export opportunities due to competition from regional competitors like Vietnam.

The new wage board comprises representatives from the government, workers, and factory owners. The labor minister, Ariful Haque Choudhury, disclosed that discussions over the past three days had been held with labor leaders and factory owners. Choudhury stated, "For the last three days, we have been discussing this issue with labor leaders and factory owners." He further alleged that a group intent on destabilizing the government and causing public distress has been exploiting the workers.