Source: Sky News Online
UK, Sunday August 01, 2010
Garment makers in Bangladesh who produce clothing for companies such as Marks and Spencer have clashed with police for a third day over a new minimum wage they say is too low.
Police threaten workers during a protest in Dhaka
Unions have rejected a government offer of 3,000 taka (£27) a month, which is nearly double the previous minimum, but far less than the 5,000 taka (£45) the workers asked for.
The garment industry is Bangladesh's second largest employer, with more than 3.5 million people - mostly women - working in thousands of factories all over the country.
International companies such as Wal-Mart, H&M, Zara and Marks and Spencer have their clothing made in Bangladesh.
Thousands of angry workers took to the streets of Dhaka in protest over their pay after union leaders said the rise did not match the cost of living.
Some 80 people were injured in the latest clashes with police, who fired rubber bullets and used their batons to clear away demonstrators.
Protesters throw pieces of bricks towards officers
Officials said a mob blocked a highway in the city's north for several hours, jeering at officers and pelting them with bricks.
In another part of the capital, protesters attacked vehicles and looted shops.
Nearly 250 people, including officers, have been hurt in similar violence over the past two days.
The Bangladeshi Prime Minister called on the workers to accept the new minimum wage and stop hurting the sector, which is worth some 80% of the country's annual £10bn export income.
Sheikh Hasina said the continuing unrest, which has forced the closure of 20 factories in Dhaka's textile hub, could threaten employees' livelihoods.
She asked workers to return to work peacefully while factory owners said they would reopen if order was restored.
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