BANGLADESH

Thousands of Bangladeshi female workers, working for a readymade garments factory in Jordan, have claimed to be suffering from acute sense of insecurity, raising allegations that 23-24 of their colleagues have gone 'missing' over the last one year.

The workers also alleged that the Indian owner of 'Classic Fashion' and the Bangladeshi authorities there are tied to the 'disappearances' and 'killings'. The female workers are also unable to return home as their passports have been taken by the owners.

After failing to elicit positive response from the office of the Bangladeshi honorary consul there, they have, in a desperate attempt for a resolution, resorted to abstaining from work for the last three days. Allegations have also been levelled against the Bangladeshi authorities that instead of taking steps, they are 'pressuring' the workers to rejoin work.

However, the government has refuted the claim, dismissing the accusations of killings and forced disappearances of the workers.

Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Jafar Ahmed told bdnews24.com, "We have already talked to the parties concerned about the workers' issues. They have taken steps and the problems have been solved. They have accepted the demands of the workers, including providing security. They will be joining work from Sunday."

But when asked about the workers' allegation of forced disappearances and killings, he denied them and said, "These charges are baseless. None of our workers has been killed or gone missing there. "

Classic Fashion is owned by Sanar Kumar, who hails from Kerala. It is located in Jordan's Al Hasan area and employs over five thousand worker, of which, nearly three thousand are Bangladeshi women.

Champa Akhter, a Bangladeshi worker who works for the factory, alleged that criminals recently abducted one of their co-workers, Nazma Akhter. Another of their colleague, Polly, also went missing a few days back. But the complaints did not cut ice with the factory authorities. Instead, the owners claimed that Nazma and Polly have fled the factory to work for another organisation.

She added that the office of Bangladesh's Consulate General there also did not act to protect the workers. A number of her colleagues also alleged that some of the Bangladesh officials and their Indian allies were tied to the occurrences and that the 'abducted' female workers could have been 'raped' and 'murdered'.

When pressed about the problems of the female workers, Jafar Ahmed said, "Our girls also create problems. They have gone to work for that factory on a two-year contract. But they are violating the terms and fleeing to work for other organisations. As a result, the organisation is facing losses."

The Bangladeshi Consul General in Jordan, Tawfique Islam, could not be reached for his comments on the issue.

The seed of last month's violent RMG protests in Ashulia was arguably sown in late May when a storekeeper was beaten up for using his cell-phone on factory premises.

Salman Shameem Khan, from the neighbouring That's It Packaging was severely beaten for being on the phone at sister company Architect Design Ltd after visiting the factory's medical centre.

Both factories, set close to each other about an hour outside Dhaka, are part of the Ha-Meem group, a large conglomerate owned by FBCCI President Abul Kalam Azad.

Workers say that usually Ha-Meem Group employees get treated at the medical centre on Architect Design premises. Salman had come for treating his tuberculosis.

Refusing to be quoted by their names, workers allege that cell-phone use is strictly prohibited for them while on the factory compound. The executives, however, are allowed the privilege.

At one point, Salman could not take it anymore and slapped the angry executive, who the workers say was a director of the factory.

Soon, police were called in and Salman was turned in to them. He ended up at Ashulia Police Station only to be implicated in a false case, workers also allege.

The incident enraged the workers who were apparently already aggrieved by their low pay and an increasingly hard life. They started to become organised demanding Salman's release, forcing factory authorities to bring the sick man back and produce him in front of them in a couple of days.

Salman had been severely injured, beyond recognition, according to eyewitnesses. This only added to the wild speculations that someone else had been produced instead of Salman, who had actually been killed and fallen victim to another 'forced disappearance'.

According to news reports, the unrest had first broken out at Architect Design. The agitation began spreading on Jun 11 and raged through 300 factories in the area like a wildfire with thousands of poorly-paid workers, many of whom are often manhandled by supervisors, spilling out onto the streets, demonstrating.

Apparently refusing to address and resolve the situation, owners decided to go on a strike of their own. They decided to shut down their factories as the demonstrations and police violence ran into the fifth consecutive day on Jun 16.

Insiders say grievance was already there over meagre payment and disgruntled workers let out their pent-up emotions in waves of protests.

"I can't explain how it turned into such a big agitation, but it all began centring the apparently trivial incident," said Azhar Ali, Production Manager at That's It Packaging.

"You cannot control a mob of 11,000 workers when you have a capacity to handle only 2000. The group (Ha-Meem) failed to control its workers," said Babul Akhter, President of Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation.

Workers say they were fed up with tough factory rules. The monthly 'attendance bonus' of Tk 250 is off even if they show up seconds late for a single day.

"Even if it was due to illness and you produce medical certificate to support the claim, you won't get the attendance bonus," said garment worker Hamidul Islam who finds Tk 250 quite a sum.

When a factory has a lot of orders, overtime is mandatory for all the workers. It does not matter whether someone is sick or not, workers told bdnews24.com.

"Otherwise, you miss the annual increment of Tk 300-400," said Asma Khatun, another RMG worker.

Sometimes the labourers lose their jobs for such trivial reasons as failing to meet their daily production requirements. That is what happened to Mahtab and his wife Rokeya Begum, who had come from Gaibandha.

Mahtab's daily production meant checking 1,200 items in eight hours, or 150 per hour or, to be more precise five items every two minutes.

"If you cannot meet the daily rate in eight hours, you won't be allowed to come out of the factory until you complete your work, no matter how long it takes," said Mahtab.

Even the time spent in the toilet is measured and if it takes longer than what the senior officials think reasonable, the worker will certainly be given a dressing down.

"I understand our late attendance may hamper production, but there are ways to deal with it," said Jahanara Begum, who had to quit out of fear after a fire broke out in her factory.

Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association President AKM Salim Osman admitted that mid-level factory management has not matured or developed as have workers and factory owners. "Our mid-level management is not good at all."

Strict factory rules for the sake of what they said maintaining standards do not quite match what the factories provide for workers.

Working conditions are said to fall far short of international standards that the owners are keen about as regards their products. The 9-storey Spectrum Sweater Industries collapsed to kill 61 workers in 2005. The following year a fire at KTS Textiles and Garments factory in Chittagong killed 54. These are just a couple of examples out of dozens.

Allegations have it despite clear neglect of owners, they have been acquitted each time.

"People would have taken to the streets in droves to support us if they knew what happens inside a factory," said Mahtab.

Babul Akhter admitted it was not at all unlikely that someday aggrieved garment workers would fall prey to the machinations of political parties out to secure their narrow self interest.