Bangladesh protests spread

BANGLADESH: Protests by Bangladeshi garment workers over low wages spread Monday, a day after four people were killed in violent clashes between demonstrators and the police.

More than 4,000 garment factory staff blocked roads and staged a sit-in in the northern district of Gazipur, one of the country’s main manufacturing areas which produces clothes for many Western brands.

Four people were killed in the southeastern port town of Chittagong, where police fired live bullets and tear gas shells to control riots.

Bangladesh’s garment workers have been angered that a government hike in wages has not yet been implemented by some employers, while senior staff complain they will not benefit from the new pay structure.

Dhaka, Monday, AFP