Featured image: garment workers protests in the Ashulia area, blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway. Source: The Business Standard Bangladesh
From October 20 to October 22 there were several protests against the company Generation Next Fashions. The workers were not receiving their salaries for several months so they blocked the highways Nabinagar-Chandra and Abdullahpur-Baipail, in the Ashulia area. On Wednesday, 23rd of October, the workers of Generation Next Fashions carried out a demonstration demanding the payments they have not received. The police started to use water cannons, hurled sound grenades, rubber bullets and they used tear gasses, leaving four proletarians injured. According to the police they received bricks from the protesting workers, as well as they stated that they did not used live ammunition. However the local hospitals affirmed the injured workers had bullet wounds. As a result first there were reports on 4 female workers injured. But the workers of the Generation Next Fashion factory affirmed that around 40-50 workers were injured. On Sunday, October 27, one female worker died as a consequence of bullet wounds.
As a consequence of that, democratic and revolutionary organizations have issued statements. We hereby share unofficial translations of some of them. First an unofficial translation of a statement by the Revolutionary Student-Youth Movement regarding these developments:
There is strong condemnation and anger over the death of Champa Khatun, a garment worker who was shot.
The Democratic Students Alliance demands an end to the continued assault and harassment of garment workers and payment of their arrears of salary and bonuses.
Garment worker Champa Khatun died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital at 7:30 am today on October 27.
On October 23, the workers of Generation Next Fashions Company in Narsinghpur area of Ashulia were protesting. The factory announced its closure a month and a half ago, leaving the workers with four months salary-bonus arrears. Hundreds of thousands of workers are in uproar. When the workers protested for their just demands, the police opened fire. Some workers including Champa Khatun and Mursheda Begum were injured in the firing. Among them, Champa Khatun died this morning.
In a joint statement, the leaders of the Democratic Student Alliance said: “The continued repression of garment workers shows the brutality of the state-government. On the afternoon of October 26, the workers of Apex Textile Printing Mills Limited in Kaliakoi area of Gazipur were protesting to demand the implementation of the increased attendance bonus announced in the tripartite 18 points. The army and industrial police attacked, dispersed and created an atmosphere of fear. Earlier on October 25, the workers of TNZ Apparels factory in Gazipur took to the streets demanding payment of 3 months salary arrears.”
The leaders also said “Garment workers of Gazipur, Ashulia have been demanding payment of outstanding salaries for a long time. The authorities are not paying the dues to the workers despite repeated assurances. The workers have blocked the road and protested several times. Many factories have been shut down due to worker dissatisfaction and non-action by the owners to pay dues. In this context, an agreement was signed between the government, the owners and the labor leaders. In which it was mentioned, all the factories will pay the dues of the workers by at latest 30 September. Many factories have violated it. Hence, the workers started protesting in the streets. Their peaceful democratic movement has been repeatedly threatened and attacked by the army, industrial police and joint forces. We even saw workers being shot and killed. Hundreds of working people shed their blood in the student uprising for a non-oppressive, non-discriminatory, democratic state system. However, instead of paying the workers’ arrears, threats, obstructions, attacks and killings of workers are going on under the leadership of the state forces, which is completely contrary to the aspirations of the mass uprising.”
The leaders demanded that the arrears of the garment workers should be paid immediately. Those involved in the killings and torture must be prosecuted. At the same time, those owners who continue to exploit and oppress in various ways including arrears of wages should be immediately brought under the law.
The joint statement was signed by Salman Siddiqui, coordinator of the Democratic Student Union and president of the Socialist Student Front, Ragib Naeem, president of Bangladesh Student Union, Dilip Roy, president of Biplabli Chhatra Maitri, Chayedul Haque Nishan, president of Democratic Student Council, Drakhan Chakma, president of Greater Chittagong Hill Tracts Student Council, Bangladesh Students. Federation President Mitu Sarkar, Revolutionary Student Youth Movement President Taufika Priya
Spokeperson: Jabir Ahmed Jubel
General Secretary, Biplabli Chhatra Maitri
Contact: 01705-080460
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