Minimum wage adjustments in Bangladesh stir protests and mass workers dismissals from factories

The government of Bangladesh in November 2018 announced a new legal minimum wage for apparel workers. The new wage levels included an increase for the lowest-paid garment workers of slightly more than 50 percent a month and a more modest increase for mid-level tailors.

Workers believe the new wage fails to reflect the rising costs of living and worker protests emerged in the Ashulia, Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, and Savar city regions of Bangladesh. A large percentage of protestors were longtime workers who were not happy about declared minimum wage increase rates for their grades.

This issue brief provides recommendations to assist FLA members to address an increased risk to workers created by the wage adjustments and the related unrest.

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