Stop harassing garment workers: US rights body
Human Rights Watch, a New York-based advocacy group, has urged the Bangladesh government and garment factory owners to stop persecuting workers and their unions following the labour unrest in Ashulia.
“Dozens of garment workers and labour leaders are facing unfair and apparently fabricated criminal cases since the garment workers in Bangladesh started strike demanding Tk 16,000 monthly minimum wage on December 11, 2016,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.
Subsequently, it demanded immediate release of the arrested workers and labour leaders.
The rights body also criticised the harassment and intimidation of labour activists, the filing of cases against unknown people under the Special Powers Act-1974, the misuse of “arrest without warrant” power and the arrest of a journalist from ETV.
HRW also said the global brands and donors that are attending the Dhaka Apparel Summit on February 25 should urge the government to stop all persecution of union leaders and safeguard workers' freedom of association.
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