Published on 12 December 2024.

Workers strike over wages, Bangladesh - 2024

Textile workers protesting in Dhaka, November 2024

On 9 December 2024, workers at several textile factories stopped work and demonstrated on the factory premises over unpaid wages and wage increases. Trouser Line Limited, which is listed in the Open Supply Hub and a supplier to Mango, was one of the companies that closed its factories as a result.

Among other things, the workers demanded a 15% pay rise and a minimum wage increase to 25,000 taka. They stopped work to lend weight to this demand. The management of the companies on strike took different approaches: some declared a general day off, while others - such as Trouser Line Limited - invoked Article 13.1 of the Labour Act, which states the following as a right of employers: ‘An employer may, in the event of an illegal strike in any section or department of any establishment, close down either wholly or partly such section or establishment and in cases of such closure the workers participated in the strike shall not be paid any wages.’ The Labour Code defines a strike as illegal if it takes place without prior notice. A lockout, which is ultimately a closure of the factory, is also illegal without prior notice, but not if it is in response to an illegal strike. It is not clear from the reporting whether all employees went on strike or whether some of the workforce turned up for work, which raises questions about the proportionality of the factory closure.

Police presence was increased as the protests continued for the third day in a row on Wednesday 11 December. According to Daily Bangladesh, a representative of the industrial police said that the striking workers would not create unrest or chaos.

Other affected factories in the vicinity included NASA Super Garments, NASA Basic Limited, AJ Super Garments (OS ID BD2021159JC32TQ), Al-Muslim Apparels (OS ID: BD20223003NYXGJ or OS ID: BD2020066P7X09S), Trouser Line Limited, Sharmin Group, Deco Group, Preeti Group and Chain Apparels, according to Observer Bangladesh. The Dhaka Tribune notes that the exact number of companies affected is unclear.On December 12^th Bangladesh News 24 reported that 25 factories have been closed due to the protests.