Police in Bangladesh obstruct union activities 30 September, 2021In a serious violation of workers’ rights, Bangladeshi police first banned a number of union meetings and then physically stopped participants from joining a meeting where a regional committee of the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) was to be formed.
Bangladesh’s dangerous shipbreaking yards claim two more lives23 September, 2021In just a week, two more workers have been killed and three have been injured due to the deplorable lack of safety in Chittagong’s shipbreaking yards. IndustriALL affiliates BMF and BMCGTWF have repeatedly brought up the issue of health and safety with both Bangladesh’s government and the ship owners, but to no avail.
International Accord: tentative agreement on expanded worker safety programmes25 August, 2021Negotiations between IndustriALL, UNI and leading textile and garment brands signatories to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh have yielded a tentative agreement that continues the parties’ legally binding commitments to workplace safety in Bangladesh and expands the programme to other countries.
Need for youth policy, say young unionists18 August, 2021In August, national youth forums were held online for IndustriALL affiliates in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka respectively. Participants called for youth policies in their unions, stressing the inclusion of women.
Bangladesh garment workers suffer as factories reopen during Covid-19 lockdown3 August, 2021On 1 August, Bangladeshi garment export factories resumed operations with just two days’ notice, despite the strict lockdown imposed across the country.
Bangladesh factory fire deaths demonstrate need for new Accord12 July, 2021The death of at least 52 workers at the Hashem Food juice factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, shows that factory safety continues to be a major issue in the country.
Garment worker killed and many injured in protest at Bangladesh EPZ 6 July, 2021A woman garment worker was killed and many were injured on 13 June 2021 following a police crackdown on protesting workers of Lenny Fashions and Lenny Apparels at Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ), Ashulia. The workers were demanding their wages after the closure of the factory.
Garment workers shot demanding extended Eid holidays 14 May, 2021On 10 May, around 20 garment workers at the Ha-meem group, supplying garments for among others H&M, Gap and Zara, suffered injuries from rubber bullets during a demonstration demanding an extension of Eid holidays, from three to at least the usual ten days.
Global unions to withdraw from unenforceable garment factory safety scheme in Bangladesh12 May, 2021IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union, the labour signatories of the Bangladesh Accord, have today given notice to withdraw from the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC) in Bangladesh on 1 June.
The work to keep garment factories safe must continue23 April, 2021Out of the rubble of the Rana Plaza collapse, the Bangladesh Accord was created. The legally binding agreement has transformed factory safety in Bangladesh’ garment industry, saved lives, supported freedom of association and increased collective bargaining. The Accord expires at the end of next month, and it not only needs to stay, it needs to be expanded to cover garment workers worldwide.
