Over a hundred workers were imprisoned, over 12,000 were retrenched and cases were filed against over 5,000 workers in the aftermath of workers’ protests against a meager wage hike in December 2018 to January 2019...

Employers of 107 readymade garment units used this opportunity to punish innocent workers for participating in union activities, as most of the dismissed workers are plant level trade union activists and union members. About 2, 500 workers were dismissed at the East West Group and Abonti Color Tex factories. On 26 February, a total of 300 workers at Garib&Garib Company Limited were fired without receiving two month’s wages.

Employers are using a database of over 3.5 million garment workers, collected and maintained by the BGMEA to blacklist dismissed workers and union activists from getting jobs in a new company. After the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, it was difficult identify workers as no credible record was maintained and a database was created for a record of workers - This is now also being used for blacklisting workers.

Many companies have published photos and names of retrenched workers on their website, making it difficult for them workers to find alternative employment...