Can Sheikh Hasina Keep Up With The Protests By Bangladesh's Garment Workers?

A protracted wage dispute in Bangladesh's crucial garment industry is posing a significant threat to the country's economic stability and exacerbating the political turmoil that has engulfed the nation in recent weeks, as reported by Asia Nikkei.

Following widespread protests and violent clashes with law enforcement, the government recently mandated a 56 per cent increase in the monthly minimum wage for workers in the ready-made garment sector, setting it at 12,500 taka, approximately $113.

However, workers deemed this increase insufficient to cope with surging food prices and record inflation.

Almost all unions, representing a collective workforce of four million people, rejected the hike and have continued to boycott shifts and obstruct roads in key industrial areas near Dhaka.

These protests, considered the most severe wage-related unrest in a decade, coincide with nationwide blockades by the main political opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The BNP is demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to facilitate a January election under a neutral caretaker government.

Prime Minister Hasina has not only firmly rejected the resignation demand but has also sought to link the garment strikes to the BNP, issuing warnings of a robust response. She cautioned garment workers that causing damage to factories could lead to unemployment and accused specific individuals within the BNP of instigating protests and vandalism.

Ready-made garments are a crucial source of income, constituting approximately 80 per cent of Bangladesh's $55 billion annual exports and contributing 16 per cent to its GDP.

With concerns growing over declining foreign exchange reserves, disruptions in the industry are deemed detrimental to the country.

The wage dispute, combined with political protests and the arrest of opposition figures, casts a shadow over the economy and the future of Bangladeshi democracy.

At least 130 factories have closed due to worker walkouts, and law enforcement has used force to suppress demonstrators, resulting in four worker deaths and charges against at least 11,000 unnamed garment workers for violence and vandalism.

Some factory owners, citing labor laws permitting closure due to illegal strikes, have independently suspended operations. Seventy-eight factories employing over 300,000 workers have ceased operations indefinitely.

Union leaders express frustration with the government's stance on what they consider "just and legitimate" protests. Workers are reportedly living in fear, believing that the government's statements have given police license to crack down harder.

Activists accuse factory owners of attempting to intimidate protesting workers, contending that some foreign buyers have pledged to purchase apparel at higher prices.

The prolonged wage dispute in Bangladesh's garment industry is not only jeopardising a vital economic engine, but also contributing to political instability.

The protests and their aftermath have led to factory closures, worker arrests, and a potential impact on the country's economic standing.

The balancing act between addressing legitimate worker concerns and maintaining the industry's viability poses a considerable challenge for the government and industry stakeholders alike.