Following the January 2019 strikes by garment workers protesting low wages, 7,000 workers were sacked by their factories, most of which make clothes for well-known western brands. In addition, hundreds of garment workers have been arrested and more than 30 cases have been filed against the workers.
The protests ended with the government promising to raise their pay, but when workers returned to work many found they no longer had a job. At least 750 workers at various companies in the manufacturing hub of Ashulia found notices hanging on their factory gates informing them of their dismissal along with photos of their faces, a union leader said.
The union leaders who spoke to the press about the situation wished to remain anonymous for fear of further reprisals. “Police told me not to create trouble. Otherwise I’ll be disappeared,” one reportedly said.
On 1 February 2019, garment workers held a protest rally with the support of the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) and demanded the release of all workers detained, the unconditional withdrawal of all charges and the reinstatement of sacked workers.
