37 citizens demand release of Babul, other detained labour leaders
Terming the current living conditions of garment workers as “worn-out”, the citizens attributed this to the irresponsibility of the RMG owners-buyers and the government.
Thirty-seven citizens demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Bangladesh Garment Sramik Samhati General Secretary Babul Hossain and other labour leaders who were detained during the RMG wage movement this year.
In a statement on Saturday, the signatories said that during the wage movement, three people were shot dead by the police and another person was burnt to death.
They demanded an investigation of all the killings, capital punishment for the guilty, justice for the victims and life-term compensation for all of them.
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The signatories include writer, teacher and economist Anu Muhammad, human rights activist and convener of Sramik Nirapotta Forum Hameeda Hossain, social activist Khushi Kabir, writer and anthropologist Rehnuma Ahmed, lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, photographer Shahidul Alam, women rights activist Farida Akhter.
Citing a report of English daily New Age, they said that a total of 53 cases have been filed against thousands of unnamed workers over their protests demanding an increase in the wage. Babul Hossain, and local labour leaders, including Mizan, Jewel and Raju, are among the arrestees.
"Despite the demand for a maximum wage increase of Tk25,000 during the long agitation, the wage board first announced Tk10,400 as the wage and finally set it at Tk12,500 on 7 November, which does not meet the aspirations of the workers," the statement reads.
"Given this situation, the workers spontaneously protested and demanded a wage revision of Tk25,000 in the midst of extreme uncertainty about their survival. But instead of taking their democratic demands into consideration, they were subjected to repression, including killing and torture, closure of factories and non-payment of workers' salaries under Article 13(1) – which is very disgraceful," it added.
Terming the current living conditions of garment workers as "worn-out", the signatories attributed this to the irresponsibility of the RMG owners-buyers and the government.
"Although the state and the government and garment owners-buyers talk about human rights, they do not consider the garment workers as human beings or citizens," they said.
The statement further said that the cases were filed against garment labour leaders with intentions to snatch away the right to wage movement and conduct organisational activities, along with instilling fear and carrying out acts of repression.
As per the statement, Babul Hossain was arrested on 14 November in a false case of burning vehicles, which had 1,100-1,200 unnamed accused, in connection with the labour movement in Bhogra area of Gazipur on 30 October.
