Human Rights Watch (GRW) on Wednesday called upon the government of Bangladesh and global garment buyers to investigate into the alleged random dismissals of the workers and false criminal cases in the aftermath of the recent labour unrest over wage hike.
"Bangladesh authorities should immediately investigate garment worker and union leader allegations of arbitrary dismissals and false criminal cases following a recent protest demanding a wage hike," the HRW said in a statement.
The global garment brands sourcing from Bangladesh should investigate these allegations and call for an end to all forms of intimidation of workers, it added.
After strikes in mid-January this year, union leaders have reported that at least 7,500 garment workers were dismissed from their jobs while some of them were accused of vandalism and looting, it said, adding "but the allegations appeared broad and vague".
At least 29 criminal cases have been filed naming 551 individuals and over 3,000 unidentified people, leaving workers at risk of being arbitrarily accused in one of these cases at a later date, it explained, adding over 50 workers have been arrested and 11 of them denied bail.
The statement quoted Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at HRW, as saying: "Bangladesh has made international pledges to ensure worker safety and protect their rights, but is falling short of its commitments when workers strike to demand a livable wage."
"Factories in Bangladesh should not use false criminal complaints and mass terminations to stifle workers' collective action," Phil Robertson added.
In December last, union leaders said that government officials had threatened them in public and private settings that they would be arrested or disappeared if the protests continued ahead of the December 30 general elections, the statement added.
When protests were organised again in January, Bangladesh police used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets against them, witnesses told the HRW. One worker was killed and over 50 injured, it added.
The statement added that the HRW interviewed eight witnesses to the police violence, 14 dismissed workers, and three union leaders, and also reviewed lists of fired workers and dismissal notices posted on the factories.
Citing an H&M statement, the HRW said the retailer on February 07 called for "respectful negotiation and peaceful dispute resolution" and regular revision of the minimum wage level in Bangladesh.
H&M also signed a memorandum of understanding with factory management, associated trade unions, and worker representatives to ensure that "documents and agreements that have now been signed are acknowledged and approved by all parties, outlining valid information, and appropriate grounds for termination of employment" for the workers who were dismissed from the three factories that produce for H&M.
"The use of criminal complaints against large numbers of 'unknown' people is a common abusive practice in Bangladesh, allowing the police to intimidate and threaten virtually anyone with arrest, repeatedly re-arrest detainees even though they are not the named accused in the cases, and thwart bail," the rights groups noted.
Quoting union leaders, the HRW said that many workers were in hiding out of fear of arbitrary arrest under these unnamed cases and it has documented previous use of this technique.
"That union leaders and workers are in hiding demonstrates the chilling effect such a practice has on freedom of association and other basic rights."
Brands sourcing from Bangladesh like H&M, KiK, Tchibo, Lidl, Mango, Next, Matalan, VF, Takko, ALDI, Marks & Spencer, Esprit, Walmart, JCPenny, and Tesco have the responsibility to respect and protect workers' rights, it said.
They should call for an end to dismissals based on the exercise of basic rights and other forms of intimidation, the HRW suggested.
"It's grotesque to imagine police raiding homes and indiscriminately shooting rubber bullets into the workers' neighborhood, but that is exactly what Bangladesh authorities have resorted to," Robertson said.
"The Bangladesh government should instead demonstrate to the international community - and the customers of its US$ 36 billion garment industry - that it is serious about committing to workers' rights and safety," Robertson added.
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