HRW seeks transparent probe

Bangladesh authorities concerned should ensure an independent and transparent investigation into the murder of union leader Shahidul Islam, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday.
The European Union (EU) and the United States (US) should link the probe into his death to trade talks, it added.
Bangladesh is the main beneficiary of the EU's Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement. EBA is one of the three programmes under the GSP system that grants tariff-free facility to the least developed countries for exporting to the EU market.
Shahidul Islam was president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation Gazipur district committee. He was allegedly beaten to death on June 25 after he visited a factory in Gazipur to secure unpaid wages for its workers, HRW said in a statement.
"The EU should view Mr Islam's murder as an indication of the state of workers' rights in Bangladesh, as it considers the government's request to extend duty-free access to the EU market," HRW said, citing the apex apparel trade-body BGMEA's latest claim over improved workers' rights situation in the country.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan on June 26 met Charles Whiteley, head of the EU delegation to Bangladesh. Then he claimed that Bangladesh ready-made garment industry has made progress on workers' rights, and also sought a three-year extension of the country's trade preferences under the EU's GSP, the HRW said.
"The Bangladesh government is yet to act comprehensively to end continuing violations of garment workers' rights, including anti-union tactics by managers and assaults on union organisers."
The US and the EU have linked Bangladesh's continued access to trade preferences to making urgent improvements in labour rights and workplace safety.
"Ensuring justice and compensation for Shahidul Islam's death will be a huge test for Bangladesh as the world watches," said Claudio Francavilla, senior EU advocate at HRW.
"A labour leader's murder is a disturbing setback for workers' freedom to organise and to seek the support of union leaders to solve labour-related disputes."
Reviewing the First Information Report (FIR) recorded by the police, the right group said the murder follows a pattern of targeted attacks against labour organisers in Bangladesh and would have a chilling effect on its severely constrained labour movement.
HRW also cited the death incident of another garment union leader Aminul Islam in 2012. Over a decade later, the authorities have failed to make measurable progress in investigating his death, despite pledges to conduct a high-level speedy investigation.
"The authorities should undertake an independent investigation into Shahidul Islam's murder with technical assistance from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - to ensure that it is timely, independent, and complies with international investigation and fair trial standards."
It also said the factory management should ensure that workers' concerns regarding unpaid wages are fully resolved in a timely manner.
According to customs data, the factory exported apparel to various companies, including Global Fashion Icon, R D International Style Collections Ltd, N P New Yorker Fashion Logistics International, and Gruppo Importatori Tessili S.p.A.
"If the management has not already done so, all buyers which have placed orders with the factory should review their purchasing practices, including payment terms, to ensure they are fair and expedite payments to the factory."
More broadly, buyers have an important role in preventing and mitigating labour abuses, including wage disputes between factories and their workers, by adopting fair purchasing practices, the right group opined.
"HRW and other organisations have repeatedly shown that unfair purchasing prices and other payment terms can fuel labour abuses in factories."
The EU's proposed legislation on corporate sustainability due diligence should require brands and retailers, including small- and medium-sized companies, to conduct human rights due diligence.
This should include appropriate requirements for workers' freedom of association in their global supply chains as well as brands and retailers' purchasing practices to prevent and mitigate causing or contributing to labour abuses, it also said.
Bangladesh is currently under "enhanced engagement" by the EU Commission "due to concerns with the country's overall adherence to human and labour rights."
"The EU Commission should undertake a monitoring mission to Bangladesh as part of its enhanced engagement with the country," the HRW said.
The EU Commission should also urgently and vocally request the Bangladesh government to report on how it is ensuring a transparent and swift investigation into Mr Islam's death, and ensuring that workers are able to freely exercise their rights to assembly and association.
"The EU should use its major trade leverage to demand justice, laying out consequences, if Bangladesh authorities fail to reverse their abusive trend," it added.
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