Dhaka-SANA: The scope of protests in Bangladesh expanded today, Monday, to include several industrial areas, after thousands of striking workers in the garment sector clashed with police, demanding a minimum wage, while at least 57 people were arrested.
Agence France-Presse reported that hundreds of workers in Gazipur, north of the capital Dhaka, blocked the highway between Dhaka and Tangail and damaged several vehicles. Large groups also protested in the Mirpur district, where police dispersed demonstrators with tear gas. Angry workers set fire to a police vehicle in Gazipur, while others organized protests in Narayanganj, where another major industrial zone is located.
Police spokesperson Kamarum Munira announced that at least 57 people have been arrested since the protests began on Saturday. Bangladeshi Interior Minister Salahuddin Ahmed warned that the government is taking firm measures to stop the protests.
The most prominent associations of garment and knitwear manufacturers warned that the continuation of protests could disrupt production, delay export shipments, and affect Bangladesh's commitments to international buyers, according to the official news agency "BSS". General Secretary of the "Ekota" garment workers' union, Kamrul Hassan, stated that some labor leaders have gone into hiding, while sector representatives reported that workers from at least 529 factories in Dhaka and surrounding industrial areas, including Savar, Ashulia, Jirani, and Gazipur, have left their workplaces.
Bangladesh, located in South Asia with a population of 170 million, is the world's second-largest exporter of garments after China, producing clothing for many major global brands.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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