Bangladesh

Tuesday, 10 August 2010 13:42

Kalpona Akter

Recently we informed you about the intimidation and harassment of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity. On July 30, more criminal cases were filed against the BCWS staff and other worker leaders. Your urgent support is needed to stop the crackdown on the labour rights organisations.

Thousands of Bangladeshi Garment workers have taken to the streets in protest at the government's refusal to introduce a living wage. Demonstrations have erupted in rioting and the police have reacted with barbaric violence.

Reports of the demonstrations and rioting are available at:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iX7VWn6VfLGZunZdPEhCC...
&
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/30/dhaka-garment-workers-violen...

Demonstrations at the end of June ended with police violently attacking children and women.

These protests come hot on the heels of the violent attack on a staff member of the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity (BCWS). The activist was detained and severely beaten by Bangladeshi security forces. This occurred just two weeks after BCWS was arbitrarily stripped of its legal status as an NGO.

Read on for info and action link:

Children beaten by Bangladeshi police as they join garment workers' strikes
Children under 14 are banned by law from working but campaigners say many can be found in the sprawling factories.

Police in Bangladesh using bamboo staves, teargas and water cannon fought with textile workers demanding back pay and an immediate rise in monthly wages on the streets of Dhaka.

Witnesses said at least 30 people, mainly workers producing garments for global brands, were injured. Pictures showed children apparently being beaten.

On Thursday 25th February 22 workers died in a fire at the Garib and Garib sweater factory in the southern district of Gazipur, Bangladesh, where clothes were made for high street brand H&M.
The fire started at 8.45pm, probably as an electrical short-circuit on the second floor of the seven-storey building, and quickly spread to other floors containing inflammable materials. A large stock of synthetic acrylic sweaters burned and gave off a thick toxic smoke. (Acrylic fibres contain the polycrylonitrile group of vinyl compounds, which may be carcinogenic.) At least 20 other workers were injured in the blaze, many with serious burns.
As is usual in garment factories, the exit doors were kept locked by the bosses to prevent theft, as were internal doors.

Following this the National Garment Workers Federation of Bangladesh (NGWF) have recently issed a statement regarding the ongoing negotiations with H&M for compensation owed to the families of the dead.
Click title to read full statement.

As part of a series assessing whether Bangladesh is on track to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, the BBC's Alastair Lawson visits a safety pin factory in the capital, Dhaka, which employs children.

The electricity supply in the sweatshop in the crowded part of old Dhaka where Asma, 10, makes safety pins for a living is so dangerous that the foreman can only turn on the lights using a broomstick.

"If I use my hands I may get an electric shock," he explains.

UN children's fund spokesman Syeedul Milky says the numbers of children working in the country still remains so large that the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education for all is unlikely to be reached by 2015.

From Clean Clothes campaign:

Complaint against Consumer Deception Successful

Consumer and worker rights organisations are celebrating a historic victory after the giant German retailer Lidl agreed to withdraw public claims that its goods were being produced under fair and decent working conditions. The agreement was reached following a legal challenge, launched by the Consumer Agency Hamburg, which accused Lidl of engaging in false advertising.

Bangladesh unions and international labour rights organisations are calling for immediate action from brands and the government of Bangladesh. A fatal factory fire killed at least 21 workers and injured a further 50.

At least 21 workers have been killed in a fire at the Garib & Garib Sweater Factory in Gazipur, Bangladesh. A further 50 workers are suffering from burns or smoke inhalation. According to the company’s website, Garib & Garib Sweater Factory is manufacturing for H&M, Otto, 3Suisses International, Pimkie, TechTextile Russia, Provera and Mark’s Work Wearhouse, and has previously supplied Littlewoods, Lindex, JC Penney and Wal Mart.

Labour rights violations are common place in Bangladesh. Workers are pushed to the limit and attempts to organise are crushed in order that companies like Primark can make a fortune. Trade unionists in Bangladesh sent us this information about a recent violation involving Primark.

Savar, central Bangladesh (a center of textiles and agriculture); for several days last week 1800 workers at a sweater factory in Ashulia had been striking in demand of a pay increase and settlement of outstanding wages. Management finally agreed to the demands on Thursday. But on returning to work on Saturday (27 June) three workers who had taken leading roles in the agitation and negotiations were told they were sacked "on charges of leading the demonstrations". On learning this the workforce immediately left the factory to demonstrate and to demand the reinstatement of their three fellow workers. This led to fierce arguments and then scuffles with the factory bosses, two of whom were reported to be beaten up.

Soon after police and Ansars (a civilian volunteer defence group, an auxiliary to the professional security forces) arrived; police began firing tear gas shells to try to disperse the demonstration, which now blocked a main highway - workers responded with hails of stones and bricks. Then the Ansars opened fire with live rounds of bullets into the crowd. Two workers were shot - one, Al-Amin, 26, died later at 12.30pm in hospital.

Some film clips Labour Behind the Label made while National Garment Workers Federation were visiting afew months back.

One is on Primark the other two are an interview about conditions and problems organising a union:

Saturday 4th April 2009 saw the second anniversary of the opening of Primarks flagship store on Oxford St, so No Sweat went down to commemorate the day with a Fashion Show of Shame, highlighting the use of sweatshops in Bangladesh and the exploitation of workers in the UK. Check out the pics...

In December 2008 Bangladeshi garment workers Shahida Sarker, president of the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF), and Suma Sarker, a union activist in NGWF visited the UK on a tour for No Sweat.
Interview conducted by Harry Glass

War on Want has launched its latest report Fashion Victims II: How UK clothing retailers are keeping workers in poverty, which exposes the appalling conditions faced by workers producing clothes for Primark, Tesco and Asda.

From the Guardian, Dec 3, 2008. Original article in response to our letter, plus response from TUC chief Brendan Barber to TUC General Council and affiliates.

Apparently, the TUC is thinking hard about who it books its facilities out to. We would still like to see the AGM blocked and a firm statement from the TUC urging Primark to clean up its act!

TUC in 'sweatshop labour' row over firm hiring congress hall

The TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, is refusing to back down over a decision to let out its congress hall this Friday to a British company whose suppliers are alleged to use sweatshop labour in Bangladesh to manufacture cheap T shirts.

A threadbare defence
Primark answered critics over its use of child labour by closing factories in India. But its PR worries aren't over yet
Ewa Jasiewicz

Five months after the Panorama child labour exposé, Primark has been caught with its trousers down – this time over a protest against the clothing company's participation in a major PR event.

British fast fashion giant PRIMARK was due to present on how it weathered the Panorama scandal which exposed the use of child labour in its' supply chains this summer. Unfortunately for them their boasts of having made the outcry go away were premature!

BANGALORE MAHANAGARA PALLIKE GUTTIGE POWRAKARMIKARA SANGHA
(Union of Bangalore City Corporation Contract Streetsweepers)

An appeal for support

Friends,
There are more than ten thousand contract powrakarmikas (municipal workers) in Bangalore, employed to keep the city clean. Over 80 percent of them are dalit and women. They labour under inhuman work conditions. They work six days a week, through sun and rain, cleaning the garbage with their bare hands.

[from Clean Clothes campaign]
April 11 marks the third anniversary of the Spectrum factory collapse in
Bangladesh.

The collapse, of the factory, build on swamp and not up to standard, killed 64 and injured 80, of which 54 seriously.

LONDON NO SWEAT FORUM

Tesco has said it will investigate the circumstances of a series of violent demonstrations at factories in Bangladesh where workers have been protesting for higher wages and better working conditions.

Over 1000 workers producing clothes for Tesco H&M and Primark riot against beatings and poverty pay...

Workers endure up to 84-hour weeks to survive