Garment Unrest Spreads in Bangladesh as Wage Protests Turn Violent

Dhaka, November 2: Protests by garment workers in Bangladesh have turned increasingly volatile, with thousands taking to the streets around the capital and its industrial belts. Demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka, workers blocked major highways on Monday. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.

On Monday morning, roughly 1,000 workers from different factories gathered at the Palli Bidyut area on the Dhaka-Tangail highway and brought traffic to a halt in both directions. Mohammad Amjad Hossain, Superintendent of Police of the Gazipur Industrial Police, said the protest had severely hampered vehicle movement.

In Ashulia, workers from several factories also stopped work and came onto the roads, attempting to block the Nabinagar-Chandra highway. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Beyond the wage demand, the workers are protesting against blacklisting and pressing for other concessions.

Mohibullah Akon, Assistant Commissioner (Land) of the Ashulia Circle, said protesters made two attempts to block the highway at Kabirpur. The administration is attempting to bring the situation back under control.

The protests escalated on Sunday, when Gazipur workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway and set fire to a police booth in the Konabari area. Police said clashes between protesters and officers continued for hours.

Police have arrested people from Mirpur and Gazipur for their alleged involvement in vandalism, arson and destructive activities. Twenty-nine people were arrested from Mirpur and 20 from the Gazipur industrial area.

Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a human rights organization based in France, has condemned the police action against workers, particularly women and students, along with arbitrary arrests. It has called for an independent probe, accountability for responsible officials, and safety for detained workers and labour leaders.

Shahanur Islam, founding chairman of JMBF, said rising prices were pushing workers to seek better pay. He said the use of force and arrests, rather than engagement with their demands, was a cause for concern.