Most of you will have read in the media about the very serious protests of garment workers in Bangladesh. Two workers are confirmed dead (informal reports speak of five), hundreds have been injured, and at least over a hundred factories have been torched in riots over the past few days.

After a worker from FS factory in Gazipur (producing among others for Auchan, H&M, Gap, M&S, Inditex, Tesco and Next) was shot by the police, the fighting spread to the Savar EPZ and further, workers tended to single out factories where there had been problems including Universe Garments, Bandhu and A-One.

The protesters call particularly for and end to the low wages and long working hours. Given the unsafe conditions and the almost complete lack of respect for workers fundamental rights, particularly the right to organize and to bargain (including the development of functional industrial relations and grievance mechanisms ) it should come as no surprise that people take to the streets.

Over the past year CCC has regularly called attention to the need for structural measures to end the consistent and ongoing violations in the Bangladeshi garment industry, repeatedly warning that workers are getting desperate and frustrated. With great persistence we, together with unions and NGOs in Bangladesh, have called upon brands, the Bangladeshi government, factory owners and their associations to take immediate action. This has resulted in a lot of talk but minimal concrete improvements in the lives of the workers. Clearly, many of them by now feel they have nothing to lose.

Instead of launching an immediate investigation into the root cause of the riots and measures to address them, as called for also by the ITGLWF, the government yesterday had the police arrest several union officials, either in their offices or on the road (none of them at the protests). One was released yesterday evening, but this evening (24 may) Dhaka time, BIGUF received reliable information that all three of their staff members who were arrested (two organizers and one cleaner) had been blindfolded and severely beaten and tortured by the police.

The lawyer who is helping them reported that she saw them this afternoon when they were brought to court. She said they were given medical aid before they were brought to the court, and personally saw the bruises cuts. She also said that the court ordered that they remain in detention five more days for further questioning.

They were arrested at the BIGUF office in Gazipur at about 8AM on May 23, while doing their office work. They (and BIGUF officers) have categorically denied that they were part of the Savar and Dhaka labor unrest. They're accused of vandalism, destruction of properties and labor unrest in the garment industry - case No. 51(5) 06 under Penal Code 147, 148, 149, 323, 360 and 379.

Police also arrested Garments Workers Unity Forum President Moshrefa Mishu on May23, reportedly while she was on her way to a press conference.

Please contact the Bangladeshi embassy in your country today (see list below) and call for their immediate release! This is matter of great urgency.

Please also contact brands and your own government (for example via their embassies in Bangladesh) and express your concern.

May 26, 2006 UPDATE -
Union leaders bangladesh released >>

May 31, 2006 UPDATE
Continued Action Needed: Contact Bangladeshi Authorities Now! >>

Draft message (please adapt as you see fit):

Dear Ambassador,

I (my organization) is greatly shocked to learn that you have arrested, beaten and tortured a number of union officials in relation to the worker protests of the past days, which follows years of neglicence of workers rights.

I (my organization) call upon you to immediately release them and instead launch an investigation in the root causes of the riots, focusing in particular on the following problems:

• repression of unions and failure to respect the right to organize and to collective bargaining;

• unfair dismissals of elected worker representatives

• excessively long working hours;

• low rates of basic earnings;

• abuses in piece rate payments;

• the late payment of wages;

• the use of child labour;

• issues of structural and fire safety in the sector;

• the corrupt police practice of charge sheeting workers on the flimsiest of evidence;

• the practice of supervisors acting as labour contractors and illegally raking off a percentage of wages;

• the practice of using hired goons to terrorise and intimidate workers;

• the behaviour of the police and other paramilitary forces when unrest occurs.

Sincerely,

--------------------------------------------

List of Bangladesh embassies

Please check this information since we haven’t been able to verify all phone/fax numbers and e-mail addresses. Our excuses when we have not been able to include the contact information of the embassy or consulate in your country.

High Commission of Bangladesh in Canberra, Australia - Bangladesh High Commission P.O. Box 5, Red Hill, ACT 2603, Australia. Telephone : (612) 6290-0511, (612) 6290-0522, (612)6290-0533 (Auto hunting). Fax : (612) 6290-0544, (612) 6290-0566. E-Mail : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Embassy of Bangladesh to Manama, Bahrain - Hse. no. 159, Rd. no. 2004, Block no. 320, Area Hoora P.O. Box nos. 26718 & 23434 Tel.: +973 293 371 to 374 Fax 291 272 Embassy of Bangladesh to Brussels, Belgium - 29-31 rue Jacques Jordaens, 1050 Brussels Tel: +32-2 640 5500, 640 5606 Fax: 646 5998

Embassy of Bangladesh to Thimphu, Bhutan - Plot no. IIIG-3, Upper Chubachu Tel.: +975 22539 Fax: 22629

Embassy of Bangladesh to Brasilia-DF, Brazil - Shis, QL-10, Conj. O1, Casa 17, Brasilia DF, Brazil CEP 70468-900 Tel:+55-61 248 4830, 248 4905 Fax: 248 4609

High Commission of Bangladesh to Darussalam, Brunei - AAR Villa, Simpag 308, House no. 5, Jalan Lamback Kanan Bandar Seri, Begawan -3685, Brunei Tel: 673-2-394-716 Fax: 673-2-394-715

High Commission of Bangladesh in Ottawa, Canada - High Commissioner: Aminul Islam Address: 275 Bank Street, Suit # 302, Ottawa, Ontario K2P216, Canada. Tel: (613) 236-0139 Fax: (613)-567-3213 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Embassy of Bangladesh to Beijing, China - 42 Guang Hua Lu, Beijing-100600, China Tel: 65- 3225 21, 65-323706 Fax: 65-324346 Embassy of Bangladesh to Cairo, Egypt - 47 Ahmed Heshmat Str., Zamalek Tel: +20-2 341 2645, 340 2401 Fax: 341 2631

Embassy of Bangladesh to Paris, France - 39, Ruf Fri Anger, 75016 Paris, France Tel: 4651-9033, 4651-9830 (PABX) Fax:4651-9035

Embassy of Bangladesh in Berlin, Germany – Dovestr. 1, D-10587 Berlin, Germany. Tel: +49 30-398975-0, Fax: +49 30- 39897510. E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Consulate of Bangladesh to Hong Kong - Rm. 3807, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Rd., Wanchai Tel: +852 827 4278/9 Fax: 827 1916

Embassy of Bangladesh to Rome, Italy - Via Antonio Bertoloni,14, 00197 Roma, Tel: +39 068083595 / 068078541, Fax: +39 068084853, E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

High Commission of Bangladesh to New Delhi, India - 56 Ring Rd., Lajpat Nagar-III Tel: +91-11 683 4065, 683 4668, 683 9209, Fax: 683 9237 Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh to Calcutta, India - 9 Circus Ave., Calcutta - 700017 Tel: +91-33 247 5208, 247 0341 Fax: 247 0941

Embassy of Bangladesh to Jakarta, Indonesia - Jalan Situbondo No. 12, Menteng Tel: +62-21 314 1690, 310 2705 Fax: 324 850

Embassy of Bangladesh to Tehran, Iran - Ave. Gandhi, Str. no. 5, Building no. 14 P.O. Box 11365-3711 Tel: +982-1 682 979 Fax: 883 277

Embassy of Bangladesh to Baghdad, Iraq - Hse. no. 6, District 14, Sector 929, Hai Al Babil P.O. Box 2092 Tel: +961 719 0063, 719 6367

Embassy of Bangladesh toTokyo, Japan - 7-45 Shirogane,2 Chome, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 108 Tel: +81-3 34 42 15 01/2 Fax: 34 47 36 76

High Commission of Bangladesh to Nairobi, Kenya - Ole Odume Str., P.O. Box 41645 Tel: +254-2 562 815/6 Fax: 562 817

Embassy of Bangladesh to Safat, Kuwait - Hse. no. 3, Str. no. 14, Block 1, Khaldia P.O. Box 22344 Safat, 13084 Kuwait Tel: +965 483 4078 Fax: 483 1603

High Commission of Bangladesh to Surra, Kuwait - Plot No. 361, Ali Bin Abi Taleb Street, Block 6, Surra, Kuwait Tel:531-6042, 531-6043 PABX Fax:(965) 531-6041

Embassy of Bangladesh to Seoul, Korea (S) - #33-5 Hannam 1-Dong Yongsan-Ku P.O.Box 7384 Seoul Tel.: +82-2 796 4065/7 Fax: 790 5313

Embassy of Bangladesh to Tripoli, Libya - Hadba El-Khadra, Villa Omran El-Wershafani, P.O. Box 5086, Tripoli Tel:+218-21 903 807, 900 856

Embassy of Bangladesh to Male, Maldives - Male, Maldives Tel: 00960-330918 High Commission of Bangladesh to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - No. 204-1, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur Tel: +60-3 242 3271,242 2505, 248 7940 Fax 241 3381

Embassy of Bangladesh to Yango, Myanmar - 56 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd. P.O. Box 70 Tel: +95-1 51174, 51378 Fax: 38745

Embassy of Bangladesh to Kathmandu, Nepal - Naxal, Bhagawati Bahal, GPO Box 789 Tel: +977-1 414 943, 414 265

Embassy of Bangladesh to Den Haag, Netherlands - Wassenaarseweg 39, 2596 CG Den Haag. tel: 070- 328 3722, fax: 070 328 3524

Embassy of Bangladesh to Muscat, Oman - Plot no. 181, Momtaz Area, P.O. Box 3959 Ruwi, Muscat 112 Tel: +968 788 373, 707 462, Fax: 708 495

High Commission of Bangladesh to Islamabad , Pakistan - House no. 24, Str. no. 28, F-6/1 Islamabad Tel: +92-51 213 885 Fax: 213 883 Deputy

High Commission of Bangladesh to Karachi, Pakistan - 9 Choudhury Khaliquzzaman Rd., Karachi 0401 Tel: +92-21 516 597, 568 3984 Fax: 568 2303 Embassy of Bangladesh to Manila, Philippines - 2nd Floor, Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo De Roxas, Makati, Metro Manila Tel: +63-2 817 5010, 817 5001 Fax: 816 4941

Embassy of Bangladesh to Warsaw, Poland - UIL, Rejtana 15, M. 20/21, 02516 Warsaw Tel: +48-22 497 610, 493 075 Fax: 494 266

Embassy of Bangladesh to Doha, Qatar - Villa No. 13, St no. 810, 42 Ibn Bajah, No. 2080 Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 671-927, 673-471, Fax: +974 671-190 Embassy of Bangladesh to Bucharest, Romania - Sos Kiseleff 55, Villa 6 Tel: +40-1 617 1544/5 Fax: 312 8335

Embassy of Bangladesh to Moscow, Russia - Zemledelcheski Perulok 6 Tel: +7-95 246 7900 Fax: 248 3185

Embassy of Bangladesh to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Sulaimania, Al-Warud Quarter, House No. 50, Sulaimania, Riyadh 11693,K.S.A. Tel:465-5300, 465-1594 Fax:463-3555

Consulate General of Bangladesh to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - Kilo 3, Makkah Road, Jeddah 6215, Jeddah 21442 Tel: 687-8665, 689-4712 Fax:680-0392

High Commission of Bangladesh in Singapore – 101 Thompson Road, #05-04, United Square, , Singapore 307591, Phone: (65) 6255 0075 Fax: (65) 6255 1824 E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Embassy of Bangladesh to Dakar, Senegal - Immeuble Kebe (7th Floor), Ave. Andre Paytavin Tel: +221 216 881 Fax: 225 017

High Commission of Bangladesh to Pretoria, South Africa - 410 Farenden Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria 0002, South Africa Tel: 27-12-343-2105 Fax: 27-12-343-5222-7, 343-5224

High Commission of Bangladesh to Colombo, Sri Lanka - 286 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo-7 Tel: +94-1 502 198, 502 397 Fax: 508 123

Embassy of Bangladesh to Madrid, Spain - C/Diego de Lieon-69, 2nd floor-D, 28006, Madrid, Spain Tel:(34-1) 4019932, 4017149, Fax:(34-1) 4029564

Embassy of Bangladesh in Stockholm, Sweden - Address: Anderstorpvägen 12, 1st. floor S-171 56 Solna Telephone: (+46) (8) 7305850/51/52 Telefax: (+46) (8) 7305870 E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Embassy of Bangladesh to Geneva, Switzerland - 7 rue Henry Veyrassat, 1202 Geneva Tel: +41-22 449 340/9 Permament Mission of Bangladesh to United Nations, Geneva - 65, Rue de Lusannel 202, Geneva, Switzerland Tel:732-5940, 732-5949, 732-1239 Fax: (41-22) 738-4616

Embassy of Bangladesh to Bangkok , Thailand - Hse. no. 727, Thonglor, Soi-55, Sukhumvit Rd., Bangkok 10110 Tel: +66-2 392 9437/8 , Fax: 391 8070 Embassy of Bangladesh to Ankara, Turkey - 78/7-10 Chinnah Caddesi, Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey Tel: 439-27 50-51 Fax:(312) 439-2408 High Commission of Bangladesh to London, U.K. - 28 Queen's Gate, SW7 5JA Tel: +44-171 584 0081 Fax: 225 2130

Embassy of Bangladesh to Washington DC – U.S.A - Ambassador: K.M. Shehabuddin, Address: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite # 300, Washington D.C. 20007. Tel: (202) 342-8372 to 8376, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Embassy of Bangladesh to Hanoi, Vietnam - House No. A, Apartment # 101-108, Van Phue Diplomatic Area-1, P.O. Box 131, Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: 84-4-823-1625 Fax:84-4-231628

High Commission of Bangladesh to Harare, Zimbabwe - No. 8 Berchenough Rd., Alexandra Park Tel: +263-4 727 004 Fax: 702 720 231 628