Bangladeshi garment factories reopen

DHAKA, Bangladesh, May 17 (UPI) -- Bangladesh reopened hundreds of garment factories Friday, days after closing them because of workers' protests over low pay and poor working conditions.

The protests started after one of the factories collapsed last month, killing more than 1,100 people.

Manufacturers accused workers of disrupting production and said they will not pay wages for the past few days, the BBC reported.

In response to demands from workers, the government passed labor-law reforms that will make it easier for them to form unions, Voice of America reported.

Bangladesh's $20 billion textile industry makes up about 80 percent of the country's yearly exports.