In Bangladesh, several thousand employees in the textile industry suddenly left their jobs on Monday, October 30. Two workers were subsequently killed in clashes with the police and around forty factories were damaged.
This massive coordinated walkout took place across all corners of Bangladesh. It follows long months of protest in the country because with 70 euros per month, Bangladeshi textile workers are still considered by far to be the poor relations of the industry. They earn on average three to four times less than employees working in the same industry in countries like China, Turkey, Malaysia and Cambodia.
The government therefore announced last spring the creation of a salaries commission, responsible for imagining a new mechanism for increasing income. The creation of this commission was mentioned 15 days before commemorating the 10th anniversary of the collapse of Rana Plaza, an 8-story factory into which, on the morning of the tragedy, the employees had refused to enter due to apparent cracks on the the walls.
Management forced them to take their jobs and a few minutes later the building collapsed, killing 1,134 people. This tragedy highlighted the unbearable working conditions of textile workers, the responsibility of the Bangladeshi government, the excesses of globalization and the irresponsibility of major international brands.
No change since this tragedy
After the tragedy, the Bangladeshi government still filled the numerous legal loopholes which allowed indecent working conditions at the time. But today he is content with announcement effects, such as the creation of this salaries commission.
The big brands are showing their vigilance by increasing the number of visits to clothing factories. However, at the very end of the chain, they remain in the sights of the workers as during the first demonstrations in spring 2023 when they asked “the creation of accountability laws so that companies doing business in Bangladesh ensure good working conditions for employees and respect for human rights.”
Foreign companies, on the other hand, plead not guilty and point the finger at the Bangladeshi government, which according to them “does not enforce the annual revaluation laws in force”. Local elected officials say, for their part, that they are constantly under pressure from these same companies which threaten to relocate to Mongolia or Afghanistan. Ultimately, the situation has barely changed in 10 years for Bangladeshi workers, who receive salaries each month that barely cover 60% of their basic needs.