External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is following developments in Bangladesh as workers demand higher minimum wages.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday that India is following the situation in Bangladesh involving protests by garment workers. According to The Hindu, the workers are demanding higher pay, which has led authorities to deploy additional paramilitary forces following reports of violence and vandalism.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated at a media briefing that India wants to work towards a positive, forward-looking, and constructive relationship with Bangladesh. He noted that the ministry continues to follow developments occurring in the country.
The protests, which entered a fourth day on Tuesday, involve workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka, up from the current 12,500 taka. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) reported that 670 of approximately 4,000 registered garment factories have shut in Dhaka, Gazipur, and central Mymensingh.
In Gazipur and Narayanganj, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has deployed 12 platoons of personnel to maintain law and order. The BGB said it is using drones and body-worn cameras for surveillance to observe field-level situations.
Addressing the Ganga Water Treaty, which expires this year, Jaiswal said both nations have a joint rivers commission to discuss all cross-boundary rivers, including the Ganga. Regarding diplomatic visits, Jaiswal said India has extended an invitation to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit India.
