Bangladesh has revised wages in six grades for garment workers. This resolves the unrest in the country's largest foreign export earning sector. Unrest hit the sector in 2016 when workers began protests demanding a new wage board. Around 350 unions for more than 4,500 active garment factories is a scanty number. Factory managements do not encourage formation of unions.

Cordial industrial relations have been missing in the sector for over 40 years since garment trade took off in the country. In almost every factory, the elected participation committees are present for the sake of compliance. In most cases these participation committees are inactive and only exist on paper under pressure from buyers.

The latest spell of protests against disparity in wages was not guided by union leaders and it was evident when the demonstrating workers refused to return to work despite repeated calls from the leaders. After the last pay hike in 2013, many factories increased production target for workers and the work pressure built up tremendously. So relentless was the pressure that workers did not have even a minute to drink water or use the restroom during their shift. Bangladesh has emerged as a key hub for garment manufacturing, as prices in China have increased dramatically in recent years.