Published: Saturday October 31, 2009 MYT 5:54:00 PM
Dozens hurt in Bangladesh textile factory protest
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP): At least 50 people were injured in a violent clash Saturday as Bangladeshi textile workers demanded unpaid wages at an industrial town outside the capital, police said.
Hundreds of garment factory workers took to the streets early Saturday to demand three months' unpaid wages and other dues, a police officer in Tongi town said by telephone. The officer gave only her first name, Maleka, and said she was not authorized to talk to the media.
Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the protesters, who hurled bricks and homemade firebombs. The protesters also blocked a busy highway and set fire to several stranded vehicles.
Police said nearly 50 people - including a dozen police officers - were wounded. Workers reporting to work Saturday found a notice at the gate of the Nippon Garments factory saying authorities were closing the factory for a month, citing losses and falling orders. The owners of the factory, who are Bangladeshi, were not immediately available for comment.
The textile industry in Bangladesh accounts for almost 75 percent of the impoverished nation's yearly export earnings. Nearly 4,000 garment factories across the country employ more than 2.4 million people, mostly women.
A worker's minimum monthly wage is $23, but labor rights watchdogs and unions say many factories do not meet that standard.
Large-scale protests often happen ahead of religious festivals, when owners are accused of delays in paying salaries and bonuses.
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