ACT NOW - Bangladeshi Garment Worker Solidarity

In September the union president at one of the Hamim factories, New Modern Garment was arrested and imprisoned, and although he has now been released following some international pressure, he is still facing numerous fake charges and is too frightened at this point to return to work. At the same time 22 other activists at factories across the group have been dismissed.

As you may know Bangladesh is due to hold elections on the 29th Decemberand there is concern that should this case not be resolved by then it may become more difficult to get justice for Sabuj. Therefore we are asking for unions, activists and individuals to contact Hamim group and urge them to take steps to resolve the case.

Write you own messages to Hamim or use our model letter.
Messages need to be sent by fax. Please send a copy to the NGWF

Mr. A.K.Azad
Managing Director
Hamim Group House - B 165, Road - 23.
New DOHS,
Dhaka-1206.

Dear Mr Azad,
On behalf of ------------------, I am writing to express our concern over the labour situation at the Hamim group factories located at Tejgaon industrial area in Dhaka. These factories are New Modern Garment Industries Ltd , The Sajid Apparels unit 1, Sajid apparels unit 2 and Asha fashion. We understand a number of serious labour rights violations have occured at these factories in recent months. These include the firing of 22 workers in October after they demanded wage increases, Festival bonus and other changes in work practice. We also understand that Hamim management has also been involved in instigating the filing of four false charges to be filed against the president of the New Modern Garment Workers and Employees Union, which is affiliated with the National Garment Workers Federation. As a result of these charges he was detained in prison from 29th September to 23rd November. Although we understand he is now out of prison we also understand that this is a result of the granting of bail and that these charges have not yet been withdrawn. These allegations, if accurate, would constitute harsh and unfairtreatment of workers and a gross interference to workers right to freedom of expression and fredom of organize as well as bargaining. Therefore ..... [our organisation] urges you to drop the court cases immediately and reinstate all fired workers with their back wages.
Yours sincerely Name------------------------------.

Hamim Group Fax : 0088 02 8826090. NGWF Fax ; 0088 02 7171711.

BACKGROUND DETAIL (feel free to write to Primark and Tesco about this case)

UK retailers: Primark (or JC Penny) & Tesco but only occasionally

Suppliers: HAMIM group factories - New Modern Garments Ltd (building with 6 HAMIM factories), Asha Fashion & Sajid Apparels (Unit 1)

Dispute: The weeks preceeding Eid (end of Ramandan) saw pressure from workers for full payment of wage, overtime and bonus before Eid holiday. In NMG at least 50% of workers in each factory signed demands including increase the festival bonus, increase the Attendence bonus, increase the Eftari bill (this is for fasting) , increase the Eid holiday and increase the monthly salary to 30%. Delegations of 10 workers from each factory negotiated with Hamim Directors and factory managers. To avoid an explosive situation, management agreed to most of their demands but within weeks of Eid vacation, workers were sacked for organising and collective bargaining. At NMG 60 workers are under threat, 21 workers are already fired, including including trade union executives and the NGWF union president, Hafizir Rahaman Sabuj, in NMG.

NMG also filed various cases against Sabuj that claim he was extorting money from them. The accusation is that he extorted Tk 5000 from a worker whereas in fact the only money he received was Tk10 for union subs. The cases were filed on 8th September but Sabuj was not arrested until 29th when workers on holiday for Eid as this minimised the chance of workers causing a dispute in support of trade union leader. When factories closed for Eid on 29th the president was kept behind on his own with management for an hour before the police turned up.

Conditions at the factory
In February Josna (an operator at New Modern) became sick after 3 days of forced overtime, working until 10pm and whole night. She was refused leave. Next day she felt ill and was taken to a local hospital and later transferred by co-workers to Dhaka hospital where she died. There was a stop-work for 3 hours at factory. Management formed an investigation committee and promise to identify cause and take action. Apart from some compensation to family this committee has done nothing.

In June, a woman worker was tortured after she accidentally "touched" a Director of a washing company in a staircase. The Director bit the worker and ordered subordinates to do the same. 5 workers who intervened were injured and one ended up in hospital, such were the severity of the biting. The workers organised a three hour stoppage and Hamin group set up an investigation committee but nothing has come of it.

European buyers are claiming they are not buying from New Modern Garments BUT Hamim distribute work throughout their factories if its a big job. (And we don't want a boycott anyway!!!)