Two prominent American trade organisations have called on Bangladesh’s interim Government to enhance labour rights and address recent arrests of workers involved in wage protests. The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labour Association (FLA) jointly issued a letter urging the Government to release detained workers and drop criminal charges against labour organisers.
In their letter addressed to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, the groups emphasised the importance of protecting workers’ rights to ensure industry growth. They also urged the Government to implement an annual minimum wage review process, replacing the current five-year cycle, to better reflect economic conditions and involve all stakeholders.
The trade bodies expressed concern over the ongoing protests over minimum wages in 2023, calling for the immediate release of workers detained during these protests and the withdrawal of all criminal cases against them. They specifically highlighted the cases of labour leaders Babul Akhter, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, and Jewel Miya of the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation, both arrested for advocating for higher wages.
Steve Lamar, President and CEO of AAFA, and Jeff Vockrodt, President of FLA, underscored that safeguarding workers’ rights and industry growth are interconnected, especially amid negotiations with the United States over proposed tariffs that could impact Bangladesh’s exports. They also recommended increasing penalties for unfair labour practices and extending full labour rights to workers in Export Processing Zones (EPZ).
The AAFA represents over 1,100 global brands, employing more than 3.5 million workers in the US, with an annual retail turnover exceeding US $ 509 billion. The FLA is an international coalition of universities, civil society organisations, and companies committed to promoting human rights at work.
The organisations concluded their appeal by urging the Bangladeshi Government to take swift action, emphasising that meaningful progress is overdue and that ensuring fair labour practices is vital for sustainable industry growth.
