In a shocking revelation, Amnesty International has uncovered the harrowing reality faced by garment workers in Bangladesh, who endure repression and injustice amidst a backdrop of corporate impunity. The report, released on International Workers’ Day, exposes a grim picture of fear and exploitation persisting in the country’s garment industry.
Eleven years after the devastating collapse of Rana Plaza, which claimed the lives of over 1,100 workers and left thousands more injured, the garment sector in Bangladesh remains plagued by systemic failures and human rights abuses. The collapse of Rana Plaza was preceded by the Tazreen Fashions fire, where at least 112 workers perished due to negligent workplace conditions.
Despite efforts to seek accountability for these tragedies, justice has remained elusive for the victims and their families. According to Nadia Rahman, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, “It’s been more than a decade but attempts to establish corporate accountability…have been largely unsuccessful.”
The situation has only worsened for garment workers, who continue to face intimidation and violence when demanding their rights. Recent protests over wage disputes have been met with excessive force by authorities, including the firing of tear gas and shotgun rounds. Amnesty International’s investigation reveals instances where the “use of unlawful force by the police” has resulted in injuries and fatalities among protesters.
Survivors of past tragedies, such as the Tazreen Fashions fire, continue to struggle for compensation and justice. “It has been over eleven years and we have still not received our rightful compensation,” laments Sokina, a survivor.
Amnesty International is calling on the government of Bangladesh to take immediate action to address these issues. This includes removing limits on compensation for occupational injuries, ratifying key International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions on occupational health and safety, and ending the repression of worker rights.
The shocking revelations from Amnesty International’s report underscore the urgent need for reform in Bangladesh’s garment industry. Until meaningful changes are implemented to protect workers’ rights and hold corporations accountable, the cycle of exploitation and injustice will persist.
