Bangladesh officials announced on Wednesday that they would increase the pay of garment workers by about 50 percent, following violent protests over low wages. The protests, fueled by demands for wages higher than $80 a month, left several workers dead and police officers injured in the capital, Dhaka.
Even with the increase, union leaders say the minimum wage still falls short of workers’ demands for a more than 150 percent increase to about $200 a month. The government announced a 56 percent increase in the minimum wage to about $113 per month, with the highest-paid workers receiving a salary of only $135 a month.
The garment industry, which represents more than 80 percent of Bangladesh’s annual exports, has been the backbone of the country’s economic growth. However, even with the industry’s significance, the majority of employees are women, representing a region with low female participation in the formal workforce.
Union leaders also voiced concerns about violent repercussions from the government and factory owners as the protests continue.
The country’s leader, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has faced backlash as her government’s economic success story unravels amid the protests. She has warned the protesters against vandalizing factories, and has been accused of blaming the wage protests on the opposition Bangladesh National Party.
The garment industry’s long-standing issue of low pay has left workers like Sohel Islam, a 26-year-old garment worker, struggling to make ends meet, even after working overtime. These challenges have led many workers to seek alternative sources of income, including aid from family members working abroad.
