"RMG makers to go soft in cases against workers", 26 December 2023

Due to the pressure from the western community, brands and rights groups, two apex bodies of Bangladesh’s apparel sector have decided to go soft in the cases filed against readymade garment workers in connection with recent unrest.  

Even the workers have got full salary for the month of November although nearly 78 factories had decided to implement ‘no work, no pay’ policy under Section 13 of Labour Act.

The two apex bodies-Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), were determined to continue the legal procedures against identified workers who were involved in massive vandalism and arson in the factories.

Besides, they urged the government to investigate the incidents and ensure justice for the workers who were killed during the protests over salary hike.

BKMEA Vice President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan told The Business Post, “We have asked the owners to withdraw the cases against agitating workers who did not commit vandalism. And if possible, the owners should pay the full November salary to innocent workers despite announcement about salary cut.”

Chairman of the BGMEA Standing Committee on ILO and Labour Affairs ANM Saifuddin said, “We have decided in principle to withdraw normal vandalism cases considering humanity, and will instruct the members soon in this regard. But we can do nothing over police cases.”

Mentioning that the owners withdrew all previous cases against workers he said, “This time we will not consider the cases filed over torching and massive vandalism. Criminals burnt a worker to death by torching the factories. If we withdraw this case, there won’t anything left of law.”

Meanwhile, Sammilita Sramik Parishad (SSP), an alliance of ten labour rights organisations, gave an ultimatum demanding withdrawal of all the cases against the workers, trial of those responsible for deaths during the wage hike movement, treatment of injured workers, release of arrested workers, and review of wages announced for the garment sector in favour of Tk 25,000 minimum wage.

The organisation said that if their demand is not fulfilled before December 31, they will observe a fresh work abstention from January 1 next year. The activists of the alliance started their campaigns near RMG factories in Gazipur, Ashulia and Savar areas and distributed leaflets among the workers...

Though most of the workers already got bail from the court, some are still in prison, trade unions claim.

The US Department of State, other major global stakeholders, as well as apparel sector brands condemned the “violence” against garment workers in Bangladesh who are demonstrating for an increase in the minimum wage...

Besides, the US Embassy of Bangladesh talked to the BGMEA and asked to withdraw the recent cases filed against workers. Buyers Office Representative Forum in Dhaka, also known as the Buyers Forum, has expressed dissatisfaction over recent RMG workers’ unrest, and filing of cases against workers.

Local think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) asked the authority to ensure fair trial by releasing the RMG workers detained during the wage protest, withdraw any deliberate cases filed specifically against the protesting workers, and provide compensation to the families of workers killed during the protests.