The Clean Clothes Campaign has strongly condemned what it termed the ‘violent suppression of garment workers’ who are advocating for an increased minimum wage of Taka 23,000 and calls upon the Bangladeshi government to swiftly ensure that workers’ right to protest is respected.
“We express our solidarity with all those who are grieving the loss of Rasel Hawlader, a garment worker who was tragically shot while peacefully demanding a minimum wage of Taka 23,000 for the RMG sector in Bangladesh. The workers’ protests for a Taka 23,000 minimum wage encountered police intervention earlier in October 2023,” as stated by the CCC on its website.
The statement further notes that, as of the issuance of this statement, it has been confirmed that at least one more individual lost their life during the unrest, though the worker’s identity and specific circumstances surrounding the incident require further clarification.
The CCC emphasises that the repression of workers in the wage-setting process this year has reached unprecedented levels. Despite the risks to their lives in expressing their demands, brands sourcing from Bangladesh have refused to support the workers’ wage negotiations, effectively legitimising an undemocratic environment for wage revisions.
