Bangladesh raises wages for garment workers after violent protests

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh raised wages for garment workers on Sunday following a week of demonstrations calling for higher salaries, the country’s commerce minister said.

The protests, which led to clashes with police that killed one worker and wounded dozens more, pushed the Bangladesh government to form a panel of factory owners, union leaders and officials to consider the demand for higher pay.

All parties involved agreed to raise wages across 6 of the 7 pay grades, leaving the minimum wages unchanged at 8,000 taka ($95), Tipu Munshi, the minister, told reporters after a meeting of the panel.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)