INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
When Masuma Akhtar arrived at the garment factory where she works on the outskirts of Dhaka on 31 October, she was expecting a normal shift
Instead, she was met with brute violence
clothes for western fashion brands, including Marks - Spencer, C-A and PVH Corp, which owns Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein.Bangladesh is
workers who make their clothes the legal monthly minimum wage, which is one of the lowest in the world and has remained set at 8,000 taka
far below the 23,000 taka a month workers say they need to keep their families from starvation.Factory owners and police have responded to
The beatings she received by armed men at Dekko Knitwears left Akhtar with a broken arm
Now, without use of one of her arms, she is unable to work
Photograph: Sazzad HossainOther workers at Dekko Knitwears say that the men beating them concentrated on their hands and arms
death anywayNaima IslamAs protests in Dhaka turned increasingly violent, three garment workers have been killed, allegedly after being shot
by police in the first wave of protests
And last Wednesday, another woman died after being shot in the head.Factory owners also threatened to shut down production and withhold
demonstrations.Workers were warned of dismissal if they continued to protest and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters
Association, a trade body, called for all factory recruitment to be paused, making it difficult for protesters to find work elsewhere.But
police reports filed against them, which trade unionists fear may soon lead to mass arrests
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Akter, president of local trade union Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation, condemns the violence against protesting workers
We would never tolerate violence or intimidation of workers and set out very clearly in our global sourcing principles that workers must be
guaranteed freedom of association and a safe workplace, as well as fair and transparent wages
As a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, we have supported the tripartite minimum wage negotiations between the unions, Government
with the supplier to investigate
We condemn all types of violence, and we have a longstanding commitment to ensure the safety and health of all workers in our supply
This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com
