Around 20,000 workers of 15 garment factories went on strike and demonstrated in their workplaces in Ashulia of Savar yesterday, demanding Tk 15,000 as their minimum salary.

Currently, they are getting salary of Tk 7,000 on an average, said workers and Industrial Police.

RMG workers of around seven factories started their movement on Monday and later the workers of other plants joined them to press home the demand.

Yesterday, the authorities kept the factories closed to avoid any untoward incident, said Industrial Police.

Some workers tried to block Dhaka-Tangail highway in Jamgora area around 11:00am but police foiled the move, said witnesses.

Siddikur  Rahman, one of the demonstrators, said they are raising the demand for salary hike to cope with the present prices of essential commodities.

Mizan Shafiur Rahman, superintendent of police in Dhaka, said additional police were deployed in the areas to check violence.

Mustafizur Rahman, director of Industrial Police-1, said they are continuing talks with the factory owners to resolve the crisis.