Workers in the Savar industrial area of Dhaka have once again taken to the streets to demand an increase in wages, this time calling for a monthly salary of Tk25,000.
On Sunday, workers from several factories in the Zirabo area of the Ashulia-Baipail-Abdullahpur road began their protests in the morning.
Industry insiders reported that workers from several factories, including Knit Asia, Deco, Envoy, Vintage, NASSA, and Setara, initiated protests demanding a minimum wage of Tk25,000.
During this time, many workers stopped working, leading some factory authorities to announce a temporary closure in response to the situation.
According to a source from the industrial police, while the overall situation in the industrial area had been normal following recent worker unrest, protests erupted again this morning as workers called for higher minimum wages.
Police indicated that while several workers attempted to block the road in the morning, they were persuaded to disperse by police and joint forces.
By around 11:30am, reports indicated that protests were still ongoing inside several factories, including Deco. The law enforcement agencies are actively working to maintain order.
However, as of the writing of this report, there were no confirmed road blockages reported.
Superintendent of Industrial Police-1 Sarwar Alam, said that after a minor incident at NASSA on Saturday, the factory was closed.
He said that some workers were acting on information they had received. He emphasized that the Tk25,000 wage demand was not the only issue, workers were also voicing concerns that factory owners were not engaging with them or addressing their demands. Additionally, Vintage workers were demanding the reopening of their factory. Despite some demands being met recently, new demands have emerged, leading to ongoing tensions.
He said that 15 factories were under general closure due to Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labor Act 2006.
Notably in November 2023, the minimum wage structure for the garment sector was revised from five grades to four. However, the minimum wage for Grade 4 was maintained at Tk12,500, while the minimum wages for the other three grades were increased. Specifically, Grade 3 wages rose from Tk13,150 to Tk14,273, Grade 2 wages increased from Tk13,025 to Tk13,550, and Grade 1 wages went from Tk14,500 to Tk15,035.