Workers block highway in Bangladesh demanding salary hike

Several factory workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Gazipur, a city in central Bangladesh, on Monday, demanding a hike in the minimum wages and a safe environment for the employees.

On 23 October, workers blocked the Mouchak area of Kaliakair upazila. The demonstration was held for nearly five hours. Traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail Highway also affected the residents. The agitating workers also vandalized some vehicles.

Workers of several factories gathered in front of the highway at 9 am. Several employees from shoe and medicine factories also joined the protest movement. Readymade garment workers demanded an increase in salaries. 

The workers clashed with police officers around 1:00 pm in the Mouchak Telirchar area. By 2 pm, police officers brought the situation under control. The police restored the traffic control in the area. 

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Demand of factory workers

Factory workers are demanding a minimum basic salary of Tk 15,000 following the high cost of living due to the price hike of basic items.

The workers also demanded a 10 per cent annual increment for garment workers, safety of women and children, education for children, daycare center system, construction of housing, and six months maternity welfare leave for women workers.

The factory workers also demanded workplace safety, compensation for the damages to the workers in Tazreen and Rana Plaza, and urged the authorities to declare April 24 as National Mourning Day for the collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh. 

Earlier, Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation President Rafiqul Islam Sujan demanded a minimum wage of Tk24,000 for garment workers. Some of the workers demanded a minimum monthly salary of Tk23,000.

Last week, Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, an organization advocating for the rights of garment workers in the country, demanded a minimum wage of Taka 23,000 for the garment workers.

Rafiqul Islam Sujan, the President of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, said that the minimum salary of Taka 23,000 was needed to live a good lifestyle amid rising prices of essential goods.

In June, Bangladesh and Malaysia discussed development and safety measures for expanding the labour market. The two countries discussed the the safety of workers and the recalibration of the labour market.