DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has rejected any further pay hikes for protesting garment workers demanding a nearly tripled wage increase, after violent clashes with police and ransacking of factories.

Bangladesh’s 3,500 garment factories account for around 85 percent of its $55 billion in annual exports, supplying many of the world’s top brands including Levi’s, Zara and H&M.

But conditions are dire for many of the sector’s four million workers, the vast majority of whom are women whose monthly pay starts at 8,300 taka.

A government-appointed panel raised wages on Tuesday by 56.25 percent to 12,500 taka ($113) for garment factory workers, who were demanding a 23,000 taka minimum wage in all plants.

“I would say to the garment workers: they have to work with whatever their salary is increased, they should continue their work,” Hasina told a meeting of her ruling Awami League late on Thursday.

‘Climate of fear’

“If they take to the streets to protest at someone’s instigation, they will lose their job, lose their work and will have to return to their village,” the prime minister added.

“If these factories are closed, if production is disrupted, exports are disrupted, where will their jobs be? They have to understand that.”

Hasina said 19 factories were “attacked and destroyed”, businesses that “give them bread and butter and food and employment”.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2023