Bangladesh textile workers strike over wage demands as factories shut

Textile workers across Bangladesh have launched mass protests demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka, more than double their current stipend of 12,000 taka. The strike action has forced approximately 500 factories to cease operations, with workers taking to the streets in demonstrations that have turned confrontational.

Workers' representatives attribute the wage push to inflation and ballooning costs of living, citing sharp increases in food prices, housing rents, transport expenses, and healthcare. They contend that their purchasing power has eroded significantly despite their essential role in Bangladesh's garment industry, a major export sector.

The industrial unrest has been marked by incidents of arson and violence in the capital, with tensions escalating across manufacturing areas. Dhaka has witnessed heightened security presence as authorities manage the ongoing demonstrations.

The government has attributed the strikes to political agitation by the Awami League party. However, workers maintain that their grievances centre on economic hardship and inadequate compensation for their labour in an industry that forms the backbone of Bangladesh's export economy.