Bangladesh forms wage board as garment workers protest

Bangladesh has formed a six-member board, including government, worker and factory-owner representatives, to review the garment sector’s minimum wage. Thousands of workers continued protesting around Dhaka, demanding 30,000 taka a month instead of the current 12,500, as living costs erode their purchasing power. Clashes with police, who used tear gas and sound grenades, injured several people in Ashulia. The protests, which began on Saturday, led about 30 factories to close temporarily, and Labour Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury warned disruptions could delay exports and payments from international buyers.