Bangladeshi labour unions demand minimum wages double

Peaceful protest, despite “backs against the wall”

250 factories in the industrial region of Ashulia, near Dhaka, had to halt
their production earlier this month, after
disgruntled workers blocked access – an action that led to violent outbursts with
local law enforcements. This time, this
turned out to be a peaceful protest.

“Our backs are against the wall, so we don’t
have any alternative unless we raise our voice strongly“, said Nazma Akter,
president of the United Garments Workers’ Federation. The
protesters want the minimum wages to increase to 8,000 taka (76 euro per
month) while, at this point, it is 3,000 taka (28.5 euro per month), a number
that has not changed since 2006.

Employers only want a 20 % increase

Employers had previously suggested raising the minimum wages 20 %, stating that much more would not be possible
because of the economic crisis in the West. Labour unions described the proposal as inhumane and degrading.

The Bangladeshi textile industry employs
some 4 million people, mostly unschooled workers. It is the largest employer
within Bangladesh, exporting sixty percent to the European Union.