cyu
29th June 2009, 05:49
Excerpts from http://libcom.org/news/fury-garment-worker-shot-dead-bangladesh-workers-strike-riot-28062009
http://libcom.org/files/imagecache/article/images/news/RMG%20workers%20clash%20with%20cops%20-%20Savar%2027%20Jun%2009.jpg (http://libcom.org/files/images/news/RMG%20workers%20clash%20with%20cops%20-%20Savar%2027%20Jun%2009.jpg)
...for several days last week 1800 workers at a sweater factory in Ashulia had been striking... Management finally agreed to the demands on Thursday. But on returning to work on Saturday (27 June) three workers who had taken leading roles in the agitation and negotiations were told they were sacked "on charges of leading the demonstrations". On learning this the workforce immediately left the factory to demonstrate and to demand the reinstatement of their three fellow workers.
...police began firing tear gas shells to try to disperse the demonstration, which now blocked a main highway - workers responded with hails of stones and bricks. Then the Ansars opened fire with live rounds of bullets into the crowd. Two workers were shot - one, Al-Amin, 26, died later at 12.30pm in hospital.
The common practice is for striking RMG workers to walk out of their factory and make a procession around other nearby factories in the industrial zone to bring out other workers in solidarity. One wonders what would develop if such a procession was to be led by a group of armed workers with recently seized guns...
As news of Al-Amin's death spread, during the afternoon the workers' numbers swelled; joined by workers from other factories striking in solidarity and then further swelled by other RMG factories being closed early by bosses due to fears of the unrest spreading to their premises.
The workers then broke into the hated Ansars' camp situated in the factory grounds - and promptly set fire to it.
The Ansars in Savar have a history of clashes with RMG workers in recent years and are sometimes deployed within factory compounds as a semi-permanent para-military presence
The police eventually brought the unrest to an end, aided by deployment of the notorious Rapid Action Batallion (RAB; elite anti-crime/anti-terrorist paramilitary force famous for summary executions
================
Excerpts from http://libcom.org/news/more-mayhem-cops-kill-again-garment-workers-rioting-continues-bangladesh-28062009
http://libcom.org/files/imagecache/article/images/news/Ashulia%20clash%20RMG%20riot%2028%206%2009%20-%202.jpg (http://libcom.org/files/images/news/Ashulia%20clash%20RMG%20riot%2028%206%2009%20-%202.jpg)
...workers gathered in the industrial zone on Sunday morning (28th June), to demand punishment of the killers and compensation for the dead worker's family... garment workers gathered together at their factory gates and then converged in one mass of several thousands on the nearby main highway.
...cops baton charged and workers responded with a barrage of bricks and stones. Running battles began, of chase and counter-chase, and the whole industrial area became a battleground.
During the battle over 150 people were injured; six workers were shot, one of whom was killed, and at least 30 were critically injured. Four news reporters were also injured - one seriously.
As news of another killing spread the assaults on bosses' property swept through the industrial zone.
The garment sector workplace is a dangerous environment; physical exhaustion (made worse by malnutrition due to low wages), toxic chemicals, factory fires, physical assaults by management personnel etc are common hazards.
http://libcom.org/files/imagecache/article/images/news/RMG%20workers%20clash%20with%20cops%20-%20Savar%2027%20Jun%2009.jpg (http://libcom.org/files/images/news/RMG%20workers%20clash%20with%20cops%20-%20Savar%2027%20Jun%2009.jpg)
...for several days last week 1800 workers at a sweater factory in Ashulia had been striking... Management finally agreed to the demands on Thursday. But on returning to work on Saturday (27 June) three workers who had taken leading roles in the agitation and negotiations were told they were sacked "on charges of leading the demonstrations". On learning this the workforce immediately left the factory to demonstrate and to demand the reinstatement of their three fellow workers.
...police began firing tear gas shells to try to disperse the demonstration, which now blocked a main highway - workers responded with hails of stones and bricks. Then the Ansars opened fire with live rounds of bullets into the crowd. Two workers were shot - one, Al-Amin, 26, died later at 12.30pm in hospital.
The common practice is for striking RMG workers to walk out of their factory and make a procession around other nearby factories in the industrial zone to bring out other workers in solidarity. One wonders what would develop if such a procession was to be led by a group of armed workers with recently seized guns...
As news of Al-Amin's death spread, during the afternoon the workers' numbers swelled; joined by workers from other factories striking in solidarity and then further swelled by other RMG factories being closed early by bosses due to fears of the unrest spreading to their premises.
The workers then broke into the hated Ansars' camp situated in the factory grounds - and promptly set fire to it.
The Ansars in Savar have a history of clashes with RMG workers in recent years and are sometimes deployed within factory compounds as a semi-permanent para-military presence
The police eventually brought the unrest to an end, aided by deployment of the notorious Rapid Action Batallion (RAB; elite anti-crime/anti-terrorist paramilitary force famous for summary executions
================
Excerpts from http://libcom.org/news/more-mayhem-cops-kill-again-garment-workers-rioting-continues-bangladesh-28062009
http://libcom.org/files/imagecache/article/images/news/Ashulia%20clash%20RMG%20riot%2028%206%2009%20-%202.jpg (http://libcom.org/files/images/news/Ashulia%20clash%20RMG%20riot%2028%206%2009%20-%202.jpg)
...workers gathered in the industrial zone on Sunday morning (28th June), to demand punishment of the killers and compensation for the dead worker's family... garment workers gathered together at their factory gates and then converged in one mass of several thousands on the nearby main highway.
...cops baton charged and workers responded with a barrage of bricks and stones. Running battles began, of chase and counter-chase, and the whole industrial area became a battleground.
During the battle over 150 people were injured; six workers were shot, one of whom was killed, and at least 30 were critically injured. Four news reporters were also injured - one seriously.
As news of another killing spread the assaults on bosses' property swept through the industrial zone.
The garment sector workplace is a dangerous environment; physical exhaustion (made worse by malnutrition due to low wages), toxic chemicals, factory fires, physical assaults by management personnel etc are common hazards.