Migrant workers including Bangladeshis working in Mauritius are deprived of their due rights, said migrant rights activists at an international workshop on Tuesday.
They said workers are subjected to lower wages and long working hours, adding they are deprived of proper legal support, health care and occupational safety.
The rights campaigners were speaking at the workshop on 'Workers Perspective on Working and Living Condition in the Garment Work Abroad' at a city hotel. The two-day workshop was organised by the Awaj Foundation.
Jane Ragoo, representative of CTSP-CMCTEU in Mauritius delivered a power point presentation and said even though Mauritius has ratified ILO Convention No 29 on forced labour, migrant workers perform compulsory overtime there.
The occupational health and safety act 2005 stipulates that all workers working with hazardous substance and exposed to any work process that is liable to develop occupational illness, should be subjected to medical health surveillance every six months.
But migrant workers are not regularly medically checked according to the existing laws, she said.
On the other hand, activists from different organisations stressed the need for collective bargaining of workers sending countries to ensure decent wages and others facilities for apparel workers.
They said women workers are more vulnerable at workplaces.
Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, director, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) said trade unions from sending and receiving countries should work together to ensure honourable wages and working environment.
He, however, said it is very shameful for a sending country that workers are sent overseas to be exploited.
Anannaya Bhattacharje, representative of Asia Floor Wage Alliance said brands are the principal employers and manufacturers are the sub contactors. So it is necessary to induct the global apparel brands and manufacturers in the wage hike process.
Nazma Aktar, general secretary and executive director of Awaj Foundation said without protest, actual wages are not ensured and Businessmen do not understand 'human rights'. They want only profit.
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