100 factories shut in Bangladesh workers' protest

By Dilip -
DHAKA, Bangladesh: Police have used batons, rubber bullets and tear gas to stop protests by garment workers in Bangladesh who want higher wages while factory owners fear they may miss shipment to the United States and Europe. Police and news reports say the fifth day of protests Wednesday in two industrial districts near Dhaka forced authorities to close more than 100 factories for the day. A police official in the Gazipur district says the workers have dispersed there. AKM Mosharaf Hossain would not confirm any injuries in Gazipur.
Prothom Alo newspaper says clashes in the Narayanganj district injured at least 10 people. The workers are demanding 8,114 takas (around $100) in place of 3,000 takas ($38) as a monthly minimum wage. Bangladesh earns $20 billion a year from garment exports.

Bangladesh police clash with garment workers
Hundreds of factories in industrial districts forced to close as police fire rubber bullets and teargas on fifth day of protests

Bangladesh textile workers fed up with conditions
Bangladesh, the world's second-largest producer of textiles after China, has the lowest minimum wage. Angry workers have taken to the streets to demand more money and better working conditions. 

Photos From the Bangladesh Factory Protests
Bangladesh labor protests continue over low wages for garment factory workers. The factory workers, mostly women, are fighting to improve working conditions within the garment factories. After the collapse of a garment factory this year, global awareness on the hardships faced by Bangladeshi garment workers spread worldwide. 

Bangladesh garment factories reopen after promise of pay rise
Most Bangladesh garment factories reopened on Thursday after five days of violent protests, following a promise of a wage rise for workers and a warning of a tougher crackdown on unrest.

Bangladesh to strip 1971 war criminals of voting rights
In another blow to Bangladesh's fundamentalist Jammat-e-Islami, the cabinet on Monday decided to strip the voting rights of people convicted of "crimes against humanity" during the 1971 liberation war.

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