Jordanian cops club striking Bangladeshi workers

Police in Jordan yesterday charged baton on Bangladeshi workers out on strike from Sunday in protest at cutbacks in salaries and irregular payments by their garment-factory employer.
The management of the al-Bunayyat-based MRAI Apparels also barred the protesting workers numbering around 400 from entering the factory on the third day of the strike, a worker identifying himself as Nizamuddin told The Daily Star over the telephone yesterday.
He said they had entered the factory in the first two days but refrained from work to protest deducting Jordanian Dollar (JD) 25 from their salaries in the name of meal, accommodation and medical costs which were supposed to be free of costs.
"They do not pay our overtime regularly either," he said, adding that police charged baton on some of the workers on the third day.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Jordan Golam Mohammad confirmed the strike, but put the number of workers taking part in it at around 250.
He said he learnt that the workers went back on a previous agreement in which the management could cut meal and accommodation costs from salaries.
"Bangladeshi workers have tainted their image in Jordan, because strikes are illegal according to the Jordanian law. Bangladeshis in Jordan called many strikes before," he said.
"The unfortunate thing is when Bangladeshi workers go on strike, Indian or Sri Lankan workers keep themselves from taking part in it. When the demands are realised, they also get the share. But it is the Bangladeshis who get a bad reputation," said the ambassador.
He said the striking workers had not informed the embassy of their grievances.
The first thing that they are supposed to do first is report to their country's embassy any disagreements that they might have with their employers, he said adding that the office then talks to the employers to find a solution.
If this does not work, the embassy then talks to the labour ministry of that particular country.
"Strike may be considered as the last resort if the last thing does not work. But the workers in this case are yet to inform us anything of their problems," Ambassador Golam Mohammad told this newspaper over the telephone yesterday.
He said they have sent officials to the factory yesterday to know in detail the reasons for the strike.
He said Jordan is now home to around 25,000 Bangladeshi workers mostly working in the garment sector, but strikes have hardened the authorities not to recruit Bangladeshi workers for this industry.
The minimum monthly wage for a garment worker in Jordan is JD 110 ($150), he said.