Garment workers in Bangladesh took to the streets of Dhaka and Gazipur on Sunday, November 1, 2026, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, and the protests turned violent as demonstrators blocked highways, clashed with police, and set fire to a police box. The unrest, which has been building in Gazipur for nearly two weeks, prompted the deployment of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel and the closure of factories across the industrial belt.
Key Takeaways
- Garment workers in Dhaka and Gazipur demanded a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, up from the current Tk 12,500.
- Five platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were deployed in Gazipur until November 7 after highways were blocked and a police box was set on fire.
- The government formed a six-member minimum wage board on Sunday, and the prime minister called an emergency meeting as more than 100 factories closed.
Highways blocked in Dhaka and Gazipur
In Dhaka, several hundred workers blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection from the morning, disrupting traffic on roads connecting Mirpur-11 with Agargaon and Mirpur-2 with Mirpur-13. Workers from several apparel factories in Mirpur joined the blockade, and traffic across the area was disrupted for hours.
A clash broke out between police and workers in the Mirpur area at about 11:30am, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Police used batons, tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters, and a police vehicle was set on fire at Mirpur 11 on Sunday afternoon. Road blockades disrupted traffic across several parts of Mirpur through the day.
In Gazipur, workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail Highway from Sunday morning, bringing traffic to a standstill. Workers took to the streets in Safipur Bazar, Chandra Palli Bidyut, Mouchak and Telichala in Kaliakair upazila, and later occupied several points along the highway. In the Konabari area, protesters set fire to a police box in the middle of the highway and set its equipment and belongings alight, according to the local police station. A factory warehouse was also reportedly set ablaze in the Palli Bidyut area.
The dispute is no longer only about a number on a pay slip; it is about whether the new wage board can restore calm before more factories close.
BGB deployed and factories closed
Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Md Nurul Karim Bhuiyan confirmed that BGB personnel had been deployed alongside other law enforcement agencies to prevent further violence and restore normalcy. Five platoons will remain deployed under the supervision of five executive magistrates until November 7, covering Chandra, Palli Bidyut, Safipur, Konabari, Mouchak, Naojor and Bhogra Bypass. Officials said the number could be increased if necessary.
At least 45 factories in Gazipur declared general holidays, while another report said more than 100 factories in Dhaka and surrounding areas were closed amid the escalating situation. Police used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse demonstrators in several areas, according to local media reports, and clashes and chases between workers and police were also reported in Ashulia.
The unrest in Gazipur follows a prolonged blockade on Saturday, when workers occupied sections of the highway near Chandra Palli Bidyut and near Gate No. 3 of the Ansar Academy in Kaliakair until about 8:30pm. Police dispersed those demonstrators with baton charges and tear gas shells.
Government forms wage board
The Ministry of Labour and Employment issued notifications on Sunday constituting a six-member minimum wage board for the readymade garment sector. Labour Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury urged the protesting workers to return to their factories after the board was announced. The board is headed by Senior District and Sessions Judge Sheikh Ashfaqur Rahman as chairman.
Workers are currently paid a minimum of Tk 12,500 a month, and they are demanding Tk 30,000. The gap between the two figures is at the heart of the dispute, and the wage board will now review pay in the garment sector. The protests continued in several areas even after the board was formed.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called an emergency meeting with the home minister, labour minister, labour adviser and several other ministers and advisers to discuss the escalating unrest. The meeting was expected to take place after Maghrib prayers on Sunday, according to sources at the Prime Minister’s Office.
- Demand: minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, against the current Tk 12,500.
- Flashpoints: Mirpur-10 and Mirpur 11 in Dhaka; Konabari, Safipur Bazar and Chandra Palli Bidyut in Gazipur.
- Response: five BGB platoons deployed in Gazipur until November 7, and a six-member wage board formed.
- Impact: highways blocked, traffic halted on the Dhaka-Tangail Highway, and factories closed in Dhaka and Gazipur.
Why the garment sector matters
Bangladesh’s garment industry is one of the country’s largest employers and a pillar of its export economy, which is why a wage dispute in the sector quickly becomes a national issue. When factories close and highways are blocked, the disruption reaches far beyond the factory gates, affecting transport, orders and the workers themselves. The unrest in Bangladesh also comes as protest movements over living costs spread across several countries, including the weekend protests in France that drew hundreds of thousands of people.
For the workers, the demand is straightforward: pay that keeps pace with the cost of living. For factory owners and the government, the question is how far wages can rise without putting orders and jobs at risk. The wage board is the mechanism meant to settle that question, but its work will take time, and workers on the streets have shown they are not prepared to wait quietly.
What to Watch Next
The immediate test is whether the wage board and the emergency meeting calm the streets or whether protests return on Monday. The BGB deployment runs until November 7, which gives the authorities a window to restore order, but the underlying wage question remains open until the board reports. Workers, factory owners and the government will all be watching the board’s first moves, and any sign of delay could bring demonstrators back to the highways. The coming days will show whether Sunday’s violence was the peak of the unrest or the start of a longer standoff.