Bangladesh Garment Workers Protest Starvation Wages Amidst Soaring Costs

Laili Begum, a 37-year-old garment worker at Virtual Bottoms Limited near Dhaka, Bangladesh, can no longer afford to send her two children to school. Her monthly earnings of approximately 15,000 taka ($121), sometimes reaching 18,000–20,000 taka ($145–$161) with overtime, are insufficient to cover basic living expenses. Her 15-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son have dropped out of school due to the financial strain. "We can barely afford one proper meal a day. This morning, we had only puffed rice and Bombay mix. There was nothing for lunch. We’ve been going hungry, hoping to have a proper meal tonight. Yesterday was the same. This is how we survive now," Begum told Al Jazeera, expressing her distress over her son's emaciated state.

Begum is one of approximately four million garment factory workers in Bangladesh, a significant portion being women, who are currently protesting for improved wages. Bangladesh, the world's second-largest apparel exporter after China, supplies major global fashion brands including H&M, Zara, Levi Strauss, Walmart, and Primark. The ready-made garment sector contributes over 80 percent of the country's export earnings, which reached $39 billion in the last financial year. Despite this economic contribution, the workers assembling these garments report that their current pay does not cover essential living costs.

Bangladesh has one of the lowest wages for garment workers among apparel-producing nations. For comparison, Cambodia offers a minimum wage of $210 per month, Vietnam's ranges from $140-$210, and China's Guangdong province sees wages between $286 and $378. This wage disparity, exacerbated by rising inflation and the increasing cost of living, has led workers to demand a minimum wage of 30,000 taka ($241), more than double the current rate of 12,500 taka ($102). On Saturday, workers took to the streets to voice their demands.

On Sunday, Begum participated in a protest in the Jamgora area of Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka. Police responded by firing tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd, leading to dozens of arrests. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association reported that the demonstrations disrupted operations at 529 factories, impacting nearly a million workers. The government subsequently announced the formation of a six-member wage board to review the workers' demands. However, this did not deter the garment workers from continuing their protests for a third consecutive day on Monday. In Gazipur, workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, and clashes with police were reported in Mirpur, with instances of vandalism and vehicles being set ablaze.

"The government only makes promises," Begum stated. "They haven’t told us when wages will increase and by how much." Rasel Khan, a 30-year-old garment worker in Ashulia, echoed these sentiments, explaining that his monthly earnings of 18,000–20,000 taka ($145–$161) are no longer sufficient to support his family, which includes his mother and younger brother alongside his wife and child. He has accumulated a debt of approximately 100,000 taka ($805) due to soaring living costs. "It’s impossible to support a family on this income anymore. Prices keep rising, and we have to borrow money just to survive," he said.

The minimum wage in the garment sector was last revised in December 2023, and prices have continued to escalate since then. Official data indicates annual inflation stood at 8.34 percent in September, with food prices rising by 7.22 percent and non-food expenses by 9.30 percent. Begum also shared that she pays 3,500 taka ($28) for a single room shared with her mother and children, and her father in Sirajganj also relies on her income. She resorts to burning discarded materials for cooking due to the unaffordability of a gas cylinder, which costs around 2,200 taka ($18).

Zahid Hussain, a former lead economist at the World Bank's Dhaka office, noted that persistent inflation over the past five years has significantly diminished the purchasing power of low-paid workers. "When real income falls, they have to cut their daily living standards. They don’t have any surplus income," he explained. Hussain also pointed out that a recent salary increase for government employees has created a 'demonstration effect' among private-sector workers seeking similar relief.

The government's announcement of a wage board follows an amendment to labor laws that shortens the wage review cycle from five years to three, with the current cycle ending in December. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman convened an emergency meeting, and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed met with garment factory owners, assuring them that a new minimum wage would be determined through negotiations. Labour Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury urged workers to return to work, stating the wage board would commence deliberations soon. Babul Akhter, a workers' representative on the board, called for the new wages to be effective from January 2027 salaries and demanded the release of arrested workers.

The impending wage negotiations occur at a critical juncture for Bangladesh's garment industry, as manufacturers navigate worker demands against rising production costs and global competition. Sheikh Hossain Muhammad Mustafiz, an official at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, emphasized that fair wages and employment security must be balanced with international market competitiveness. "Workers deserve wages that support a decent standard of living. However, without fair purchasing prices from international brands, significant wage increases could put pressure on factories and threaten employment," he stated. Mustafiz stressed that global brands purchasing garments from Bangladesh share the responsibility of protecting workers' purchasing power amidst inflation. "Sustainable wage growth cannot be achieved by manufacturers alone. International brands must contribute through fair pricing and responsible purchasing practices to protect both the workers’ livelihoods and the industry’s long-term sustainability," he added.

Taqbir Huda, a Tech Global Institute senior fellow at the University of Oxford, criticized Western brands for their role in the situation. "One party that could change the situation overnight has held the most extractive and exploitative role: the western buyer brands who hold the lion’s share of the value that is generated by the clothes that these workers produce," he told Al Jazeera. Huda noted that the wage board, originally due this year, was announced only after protests began, suggesting that workers have little reason to expect improvement without such action. He emphasized that the formation of the wage board is insufficient unless it addresses inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.

For Laili Begum, the protracted wage negotiation process means continued hardship. "Wages must rise, but food prices must also come down," she concluded.