Over 100 Bangladesh garment plants halt operations in strike

Wage woes stir outcry at world's No. 2 exporter, in blow to H&M

Garment factory workers took to Dhaka's streets for a fifth straight day on Jan. 10 to protest pay practices. © Reuters

YUJI KURONUMA, Nikkei staff writer

January 11, 2019 06:50 JST

NEW DELHI -- Strikes at garment factories around the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka stretched into a fifth day Thursday, disrupting output for brands like H&M in the world's second-largest apparel exporter behind China.

Thousands of workers are protesting a government minimum-wage hike widely viewed as unfair. At least 100 sewn-goods factories had halted operations as of Wednesday. One person has been killed and over 70 injured in clashes with police as some demonstrations turned violent.