Unrest shuts 50 factories

Production at more than 50 garment factories in Savar and Ashulia on the outskirts of the capital was suspended yesterday after workers demonstrating for Tk 8,114 minimum wage clashed with law enforcers.
The clashes left at least 50 people, including eight policemen, injured.
The district administration deployed two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh personnel since 8am, said Liakat Ali, executive magistrate of Savar.
More than 30,000 workers of different garment units went out of their factories at Narasinghapur, Nishchintapur, Zirabo, Pukurpar, Jamgarah and Shimultala of Ashulia, and Hemayetpur, Ulail and Raj Fulbaria of Savar and took to the streets in the morning, industrial police said.
Law enforcers charged batons and fired several teargas canisters and rubber bullets as the agitating workers hurled brickbats at them, triggering sporadic clashes.
Fearing more vandalism, the authorities of around 50 RMG units shut their production for yesterday, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, former BGMEA president and also the convener of Ashulia-Savar Garment Owners Association.
The apparel sector has been witnessing labour unrest for the last several months as the workers were demanding a revision of their minimum wage.
A minimum wage of Tk 5,300 was recommended by the government's six-member wage board on November 4.
But factory owners rejected the wage, saying the amount should be Tk 4,250, while workers have been demanding Tk 8,114.
The monthly minimum wage for the garments workers is now Tk 3,000, the lowest in the world, and was last revised in 2010.