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Garment workers clash with police in Dhaka over wages

Several cities · pinned on Dhaka, Bangladesh · since Oct 31, 2026

Is it still on?

YESDay 2 and counting, since Oct 31.

Last report · checked

The Tea in three lines

Why they are protesting
Garment workers are protesting because rising living costs have eroded their earnings under the current minimum wage.
What they want
Protesters demand a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka, unpaid salary clearance, and an end to arbitrary dismissals and blacklists.
What changed
Nov 1: Thousands continued protesting and clashing with police despite the government forming a new six-member wage board.
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Both sides

What protesters want

  • Increase minimum monthly wage to 30,000 taka
  • Clear unpaid salaries
  • End arbitrary dismissals
  • Remove employment blacklists

Organised by: Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre

What authorities say

The government deployed police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel. Security forces used tear gas, sound grenades, and water cannons to disperse crowds, while officials announced a new six-member wage board to review wages and urged workers to return to their jobs.1234

The numbers

Only figures a source states, with who said it. Estimates often differ.

Injuries
6
Six police officers and several workers and passers-by were reportedly injured.12

The full story

Garment workers launched multi-day demonstrations across industrial hubs including Dhaka, Ashulia, and Gazipur, demanding a significant increase in their monthly minimum wage from 12,500 taka to 30,000 taka. The protests disrupted traffic, blocked major highways, and forced around 25 to 30 factories to suspend operations. According to reports, demonstrators threw bricks, blocked roads, and clashed with law enforcement. Authorities responded by deploying police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel, using tear gas, sound grenades, and water cannons to disperse crowds. In response to the unrest, the government announced the formation of a six-member wage board to review pay rates, while officials urged employees to return to work.

Timeline

  1. The government formed a six-member wage board, but thousands of workers continued demonstrations.23

  2. Wage protests began in Dhaka, Ashulia, and Gazipur, leading to factory closures and clashes with police.1

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