New Bangladesh textile protests

Thousands of textile workers in Bangladesh have clashed with police for a third consecutive day in a protest over pay and conditions.

Police fired live bullets and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, who have set fire to at least one factory and forced the closure of many more.

Two people were killed during fierce confrontations with police over the weekend around the capital, Dhaka.

The textile industry in Bangladesh employs more than two million people.

The BBC's Mark Dummett, in Dhaka, says strikes and protests frequently disrupt the industry, which produce clothes for some of the world's biggest brands.

Police said that hundreds of workers attacked factories and blocked roads in a garment zone on the outskirts of Dhaka over the weekend.

The workers have said they were also protesting against the deaths of two colleagues over the weekend.

Bangladesh has more than 4,000 factories and ready-made garments account for most of the country's export earnings.

The minimum wage in Bangladesh is less than $25 (£15) per month.

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