Bangladesh police fired rubber bullets and tear gas on Thursday at garment workers protesting at a new minimum wage which is far less than the $100 a month they demanded. On Wednesday night, company owners agreed to a $68 minimum monthly wage for the sector's four million employees following days of unrest in garment hub Ashulia and elsewhere which closed hundreds of factories.
While pro-government labour unions have accepted the increase of 76 percent, left-leaning labour groups have rejected the deal, saying it is too far below their original demand. "All factories based in Ashulia reopened in the morning, but the workers continued their strike and blocked a key highway," Ashulia industrial police inspector Abdus Sattar told AFP.
"We tried to clear the highway, but they threw stones at police. In retaliation, we fired rubber bullets and tear gas," he said, adding one female police officer was injured during the clashes. Muhammad Ibrahim, a union leader, said the workers were also demanding that wages be increased immediately.