DHAKA: Bangladesh’s garment industry wage board said on Wednesday it had agreed to raise the minimum wage for workers in the key export sector, following five days of protests and sporadic clashes.

Thousands of garment workers have been protesting since Saturday, demanding higher pay, hurling bricks and erecting barricades, while police have fired tear gas to disperse crowds.

“The workers have been demanding a wage increase by December so that they can receive their revised salaries in January,” said Babul Akter, the workers’ representative on the board.

“The representative of the factory owners on the wage board agreed, too. We agreed on this point… We are working together.”