Bangladesh garment factories close amid violent protests

Thursday, 14 November 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: Violent protests shuttered some 250 Bangladesh garment factories near the capital Dhaka on Wednesday, as thousands of workers demanded higher wages at the outlets providing cheap clothing for retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Striking workers clashed with police for a third successive day, causing about 100 injuries. Police retaliated by firing rubber bullets and canisters of tear gas.

“We have been forced to shut all garment factories in Ashulia fearing more vandalism, and also for security reasons after the unrest of the last few days,” Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Mohammad Atiqul Islam said. There are about 250 factories in the Ashulia industrial district, providing merchandise for most of the leading Western brands including Walmart, H&M, Gap Inc and Eagle Outfitters Inc, business officials said. The factory workers are demanding the monthly minimum wage is raised to 8,000 taka from 3000 taka.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.