Help Bangladeshi Garment Workers in Need
Garment workers in Bangladesh are currently facing significant challenges as ongoing economic, political, and environmental crises continue to disrupt the local apparel industry. Workers are struggling to meet their basic needs due to insufficient and delayed wages, exacerbated by the rising cost of living, severe flooding in the country’s southeastern region, and continued violence against workers at the hands of authorities. These events have thrown the garment industry into turmoil, and thus, workers’ lives.
Further, the recent weeks-long violent crackdown on nationwide student protests has caused many workers to lose their jobs and be blacklisted from employment. Victims of police brutality during the student demonstrations are also finding it difficult to afford necessary medical care. Others face legal charges for participating in peaceful protests calling for a minimum wage they can live on.
These are just a few of the challenges Bangladeshi garment workers are experiencing now. They urgently need your help.
Your donation will provide direct aid to garment workers in need of medical treatment, legal support, and additional income for food and other daily necessities. Donate now and make a direct impact in their lives!
What is happening in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest apparel exporter, following China, with garments accounting for more than 80 percent of the country’s total exports. Wherever you are in the world, you likely have clothes made in Bangladesh in your wardrobe.
Even though garment workers are the backbone of the Bangladeshi economy and the trillion-dollar global garment industry, they are paid poverty wages and face numerous obstacles, including harassment, intimidation, and brutal violence, as well as legal hurdles when attempting to voice their demands for justice, fair wages, adequate safeguards, and improved working conditions.
In 2023, minimum wage negotiations took place in Bangladesh for the first time since 2018. After months of organising, many worker unions across the country, in a remarkable show of solidarity, rallied around one figure: BDT 23,000 (USD ~192) as the new minimum monthly salary.
Both manufacturers and the government responded to the workers’ demand with harsh and violent repression, which resulted in the deaths of four workers, hundreds injured, and thousands at risk of false arrest under at least 35 baseless criminal charges that left dozens of workers jailed for months. Many garment workers also lost their jobs and were blacklisted for their involvement in the minimum wage movement.
Despite workers’ unified advocacy efforts, another poverty wage, BDT 12,500 (USD ~104), was set as the new minimum in November 2023. Under this new monthly salary, garment workers are still struggling to cover their basic needs, especially with high inflation impacting the cost of living.
Most recently, in July 2024, students led demonstrations against the Bangladeshi government's employment quota system. This was met again with a violent crackdown on protesters, who faced attacks, arrests, torture and harassment, with more than 600 people killed, including at least five garment workers, and thousands injured as the police imposed a strict curfew with a “shoot-on-sight” order across Bangladesh.
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who authorised the use of lethal force against protesters, escaped toward the Indian border on August 5 and stepped down from her position. Bangladesh is now in a state of uncertainty, with Muhammad Yunus heading a temporary government set up by the military, and elections yet to take place.
Due to the curfew and continued unrest, garment factories have had to shut down production, with the industry reportedly losing US $150 million a day as a result. With tight deadlines imposed by brands and closures occurring during peak production season, many factories are forcing employees to work excessive hours to meet these demands. This practice increases the risk of burnout and workplace accidents, pushing workers to their physical and mental limits.
Brands are already using delays in production as justification for cutting orders, shifting production elsewhere, and lowering supplier prices. When brands demand lower prices after orders have been placed, factories are forced to absorb these unexpected costs, which can lead to significant losses that ultimately impact workers’ salaries and jobs.
To make matters worse, the country is also grappling with the climate crisis, as August’s heavy flooding in the southeastern part of Bangladesh affected over 5 million people and resulted in 59 fatalities as of August 31. This situation further disrupts the garment industry, putting greater pressure and risk onto workers.
How your donation can help?
Awaj Foundation along with our sister union Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation (SGSF) has organised this fundraising campaign to provide direct relief to garment workers in need of medical treatment, legal support, and additional income for food and other daily necessities.
Your donation will have a direct impact on the lives of garment workers by enabling us to deliver essential services and support. With your contribution, we can ensure that these workers receive the medical care they require, access legal assistance to protect their rights, and the financial resources necessary to meet their daily needs. Your donation can make a meaningful difference in their lives.