Ongoing Bangladesh Labor Protest, Garment Factories Producing H&M And Levis Products Stops!
The monthly wages of the workers start from 8300 taka, which amounts to $75. However, they demand a near-tripling salary, which has turned into violent protests! Most of these workers are women, and the sector has almost four million workers in the garment factories.
Bangladesh provides almost 85% of the South Asian Country?s annual exports, amounting to $55 billion, with its 3500 garment factories. They provide for some of the best and most popular brands in the fashion industry; however, with the labor protest, production has been stopped for most of these brands.
The production has stopped after days of violent protests that included workers ransacking dozens of factories, performing vandalism, and people getting disturbed all around. Some of the biggest factories in Bangladesh make clothes for major retailers and Western brands.
According to the president of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF), Kapona Akter, western brands will be suffering severely with the increasing issue of labor protests. Brands such as Zara, H&M, Gap, Levi?s, Marks and Spencer, Aldi, and Walmart will all face problems!
Further, there have been two individuals dead while dozens were injured, according to the reports given by the police. In the week long protests, the union of Akter informs that almost 600 factories have already been affected.
There have also been issues around the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, where many garment workers mobilized on the streets. Almost 3000 workers tried to block their colleagues from joining and working in the factories.
Two major manufacturers, Sterling and HaMeem groups, did reopen their factories; however, most of the workers who were not part of the protest were worried about the violence and the protest leading to the halt of production.
Almost 25000 workers returned after the two companies closed their plants, especially after the protest took place! The police were monitoring the protest. However, it led to severe chaos where they had to use tear gas so that the protesters could be dispersed!
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