Dhaka, November 9 (RHC)-- In Bangladesh, clashes between protesting garment workers and police led to the death of at least one worker Wednesday, while several others were wounded.
Workers in the garment manufacturing hub of Gazipur, on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka, have been protesting for weeks to demand livable wages.
On Tuesday, authorities announced an increase in the monthly minimum wage to $113, up from $75. But workers, who are asking for a minimum of $208 a month, rejected the offer.
One of the organizers of the protests, Rahima Begum, told reporters: “Have you seen the price of potatoes and onions in the market? The new hike will not compensate for the deficit of our needs. It should be raised further. We have to pay rent, food and children’s education. The market economy is on fire. How can we go on like this?”
Bangladesh has some 3,500 factories employing about 4 million garment workers, most of them women. They make clothing for fast fashion brands in the U.S. and Europe, including H&M and GAP, and sell to major chains like Walmart.
