A group of US apparel and footwear importers and some US lawmakers have resented the repression on garment workers in Bangladesh who are rallying for a further wage increase.
The American Apparel and Footwear Importers Association asked the Bangladesh government to ensure treatment of workers with compassion.
Some US congressmen also suggested major garment importers should exert their influence on the Bangladesh authorities so that workers are treated fairly.
New Age obtained a copy of a letter of the US importers' association addressed to Bangladesh's ambassador, seeking a settlement of disputes through peaceful negotiations.
The letter, signed by Kevin M. Burke, the AAFA president and chief executive officer, expressed concerns about the recent events in Bangladesh, as reported in the media, about police and government repression on workers in various apparel factories.
'The reports stem from ongoing protests by some workers against the proposed wage increase the government announced on July 29th. This repression has reportedly included arrests, intimidation, harassment and other measures that cause serious apprehension among AAFA members, many of whom are major buyers and producers of garments from Bangladesh,' the letter reads.
The AAFA president warned the Bangladesh authorities that their member companies want to ensure that the apparel and footwear they import were manufactured under lawful, humane and ethical conditions.
'We [AAFA members] hope the [Bangladesh] government will respect the rule of law and follow a peaceful approach in responding to these ongoing protests. More importantly, we urge the government to constructively engage all stakeholders — workers, producers and buyers — in order to resolve the RMG wage issue as soon as possible,' the association said.
Citing cancellation of registrations of some Bangladeshi labour rights groups, including the Bangladesh Centre for Workers Solidarity, and detention of garment worker leaders, the association said such actions would be unacceptable to the US importers.
The association, which has representation of hundreds of US retailers and importers, exert much influence on the US government and the congress.
Some US congressmen, meanwhile, sent a letter to some major US importers asking them to exert their influence on the Bangladesh government to refrain form repressing apparel workers whose protest was legitimate.
'The Bangladesh government responds to the unrest [protests] with hard rhetoric, calling labour leaders "provocateurs" and "saboteurs." In addition, many arrests were made and charges were filed against workers who participated in protests,' the congressmen said in the letter sent to the chief executive officers of major US importing houses.
The letter signed by 19 US congress members was sent to the chief executive officers of Wal-Mart, JC Penney, H&M, Cintas Corporation, K-Mart and VF Corporation.
'We wish to bring the severity of the situation to your attention and urge your company to use influence as a major importer of clothing produced in Bangladesh to bring about a just peaceful solution to the situation,' the letter said.
'It is crucial that the Bangladesh government understands that major American retailers will not be able to maintain the current level of business with Bangladesh unless the charges [against workers] are dropped and prosecution of labour leaders stop immediately,' the letter said.
The United States is the single largest market destination for Bangladeshi apparels as about 30 per cent of Bangladesh's $12.5 billion global shipments in the past financial year landed in the United States.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association president, Abdus Salam Murshedy, said his company, Envoy, and another big apparel group, Nassa, had also been blamed baselessly for instigating arrest and repression on workers.
'It is very unfortunate that the US importers and lawmakers are being misguided on the labour situation in Bangladesh. We do not support any kind of repression on workers, let alone being party to that,' he said.
The labour and employment minister, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, said allegation over repression on apparel workers is false.
'The government has taken action against outsiders who instigated violence and destruction in garment industries in recent times,' the minister said. 'It is our internal matter. The government here has the responsibility to uphold rule of law and ensure security of life and property.'
He said vested interests were misguiding the US importers and lawmakers with baseless information.
Mosharraf said the foreign minister, Dipu Moni, was communicating with governments and stakeholders of apparel importing countries regarding the labour situation in Bangladesh apparel industries.
Regarding cancellation of registrations of some NGOs, he said people of an NGO, having licence to work in heath and child care sector, unlawfully continued trade union activities and instigated workers into violence.
The American Apparel and Footwear Importers Association asked the Bangladesh government to ensure treatment of workers with compassion.
Some US congressmen also suggested major garment importers should exert their influence on the Bangladesh authorities so that workers are treated fairly.
New Age obtained a copy of a letter of the US importers' association addressed to Bangladesh's ambassador, seeking a settlement of disputes through peaceful negotiations.
The letter, signed by Kevin M. Burke, the AAFA president and chief executive officer, expressed concerns about the recent events in Bangladesh, as reported in the media, about police and government repression on workers in various apparel factories.
'The reports stem from ongoing protests by some workers against the proposed wage increase the government announced on July 29th. This repression has reportedly included arrests, intimidation, harassment and other measures that cause serious apprehension among AAFA members, many of whom are major buyers and producers of garments from Bangladesh,' the letter reads.
The AAFA president warned the Bangladesh authorities that their member companies want to ensure that the apparel and footwear they import were manufactured under lawful, humane and ethical conditions.
'We [AAFA members] hope the [Bangladesh] government will respect the rule of law and follow a peaceful approach in responding to these ongoing protests. More importantly, we urge the government to constructively engage all stakeholders — workers, producers and buyers — in order to resolve the RMG wage issue as soon as possible,' the association said.
Citing cancellation of registrations of some Bangladeshi labour rights groups, including the Bangladesh Centre for Workers Solidarity, and detention of garment worker leaders, the association said such actions would be unacceptable to the US importers.
The association, which has representation of hundreds of US retailers and importers, exert much influence on the US government and the congress.
Some US congressmen, meanwhile, sent a letter to some major US importers asking them to exert their influence on the Bangladesh government to refrain form repressing apparel workers whose protest was legitimate.
'The Bangladesh government responds to the unrest [protests] with hard rhetoric, calling labour leaders "provocateurs" and "saboteurs." In addition, many arrests were made and charges were filed against workers who participated in protests,' the congressmen said in the letter sent to the chief executive officers of major US importing houses.
The letter signed by 19 US congress members was sent to the chief executive officers of Wal-Mart, JC Penney, H&M, Cintas Corporation, K-Mart and VF Corporation.
'We wish to bring the severity of the situation to your attention and urge your company to use influence as a major importer of clothing produced in Bangladesh to bring about a just peaceful solution to the situation,' the letter said.
'It is crucial that the Bangladesh government understands that major American retailers will not be able to maintain the current level of business with Bangladesh unless the charges [against workers] are dropped and prosecution of labour leaders stop immediately,' the letter said.
The United States is the single largest market destination for Bangladeshi apparels as about 30 per cent of Bangladesh's $12.5 billion global shipments in the past financial year landed in the United States.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association president, Abdus Salam Murshedy, said his company, Envoy, and another big apparel group, Nassa, had also been blamed baselessly for instigating arrest and repression on workers.
'It is very unfortunate that the US importers and lawmakers are being misguided on the labour situation in Bangladesh. We do not support any kind of repression on workers, let alone being party to that,' he said.
The labour and employment minister, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, said allegation over repression on apparel workers is false.
'The government has taken action against outsiders who instigated violence and destruction in garment industries in recent times,' the minister said. 'It is our internal matter. The government here has the responsibility to uphold rule of law and ensure security of life and property.'
He said vested interests were misguiding the US importers and lawmakers with baseless information.
Mosharraf said the foreign minister, Dipu Moni, was communicating with governments and stakeholders of apparel importing countries regarding the labour situation in Bangladesh apparel industries.
Regarding cancellation of registrations of some NGOs, he said people of an NGO, having licence to work in heath and child care sector, unlawfully continued trade union activities and instigated workers into violence.
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