Tear Gas, Burning Police Posts And Factory Closures: Bangladesh’s Wage Protests Escalate

Garment workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000 clashed with police in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka and the industrial district of Gazipur on Sunday, prompting the deployment of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel and the closure of at least 45 factories.

Protesters blocked major roads and highways, damaged vehicles and set fire to a police box and other structures. Police used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse demonstrators in several areas, according to local media reports.

The unrest continued despite the government announcing the formation of a six-member minimum wage board on Sunday. Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury urged workers to return to their factories, saying their demand for a wage-setting mechanism had been addressed.

Clashes In Dhaka, Gazipur

In Dhaka, several hundred garment workers blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection from around 9 am, disrupting traffic on roads connecting Mirpur-11 with Agargaon and Mirpur-2 with Mirpur-13.

Clashes broke out when police attempted to disperse the demonstrators. Workers had also blockaded roads in Mirpur on Thursday and Saturday, with some vandalising garment factories and shopping malls during the previous day's unrest.

In Gazipur, demonstrations spread across Palli Bidyut, Konabari, Bhogra, Naojor, Safipur and Mouchak, disrupting traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail Highway. Protesters threw bricks and stones at police, who responded with tear gas and sound grenades.

A police box in Konabari was set on fire, while three locations, including a factory warehouse, were reportedly set ablaze in the Palli Bidyut area. At least 15 vehicles were vandalised during Saturday's clashes, as per local media reports­.

Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Amjad Hossain confirmed that 45 factories had declared general holidays on Sunday amid the unrest.

BGB Deployed, Wage Board Formed

Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Md Nurul Karim Bhuiyan confirmed that BGB personnel had been deployed alongside other law enforcement agencies to prevent further violence and restore normalcy.

BGB Public Relations Officer Shariful Islam said five platoons would remain deployed under the supervision of five executive magistrates until November 7. The deployment covers Chandra, Palli Bidyut, Safipur, Konabari, Mouchak, Naojor and Bhogra Bypass.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour and Employment issued two notifications constituting a minimum wage board for the readymade garment (RMG) sector. The six-member board includes representatives of employers, workers and neutral parties and is headed by Senior District and Sessions Judge Sheikh Ashfaqur Rahman. It has been tasked with determining revised minimum wages under the Bangladesh Labour Act.

Choudhury urged workers to return to their workplaces, saying the board would begin its work immediately and convene a meeting to discuss wages. He also alleged that external forces might be instigating the demonstrations to destabilise the country, though he provided no evidence for the claim.

By Sunday afternoon, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Joint Commissioner Md Mohidul Islam said protesters had been dispersed from Mirpur and traffic had returned to normal. Unrest and security deployments continued in Gazipur, where authorities were working to restore access to industrial areas and highways.