Death traps - work, home, fire and the poor in Bangladesh
Submitted by Red Marriott on Mar 10 2010 23:55
An examination of the ever-present threat of fire in the lives of the working class after yet another garment factory fire kills 21 workers - while slum fires also have a devastating affect...
On Thursday 25th February 21 workers died in a fire at the Garib and Garib sweater factory in the southern district of Gazipur, burnt to death or choking on smoke. The fire started at 8.45pm, probably as an electrical short-circuit on the second floor of the seven-storey building, and quickly spread to other floors containing inflammable materials.
Video: Machinists against the machine - Bangladeshi garment workers' struggles
Submitted by Red Marriott on Feb 1 2010 13:55
A 15 minute video; a workforce, 85% female, paid some of the lowest wages in the world; expressing some of the highest levels of class struggle in the world at present. Trade unions have very little influence or restraint on these struggles - they are self-organised by workers on the job. When strikes turn riotous, they often spread into the wider working class community.
Part 1 illustrates aspects of slum life, factory work and the massive 2006 workers' revolt.
Factory or Prison - Bangladeshi workers in Romania
Submitted by Steven. on Jan 18 2010 12:35
Prol-Position on some struggles of Bangladeshi and Indian migrant workers in Romania in 2007-8.
Textile workers from Bangladesh are kept behind locked gates and exploited in Bacau in Romania
Three dead in garment workers' clashes - unions promised new role
Submitted by Red Marriott on Nov 4 2009 00:24
The latest clashes in the highly charged arena of the Bangladeshi garment industry...
Tongi, an industrial city located 15 miles (24 km) north of Dhaka; early last Saturday morning (31st Oct) several hundred workers turned up at the gates of the Nippon Garment Factory at Ershad Nagar - expecting to work and to receive wage arrears owed them.
Short fuse: 50,000 workers on the streets and 50 factories burning in Bangladesh
Submitted by Red Marriott on Jun 30 2009 00:27
The mass unrest in the garment industry continued on Monday (29 June) for a third day...
On the outskirts of Dhaka, the capital city, in the industrial zone; workers' rioting and demonstrations yesterday escalated to new heights. As thousands of workers gathered in the morning, at 10am a group set off towards the nearby Dhaka Export Processing Zone where many garment factories are located.
More mayhem - cops kill again as garment workers' rioting continues in Bangladesh
Submitted by Red Marriott on Jun 28 2009 22:11
The unrest continues in the garment industry - another worker killed as rioting spreads across the whole garment factory area in Ashulia.
Ashulia district, Savar, near Dhaka; The unrest that began on Saturday (see previous story; http://libcom.org/news/fury-garment-worker-shot-dead-bangladesh-workers-strike-riot-28062009) - when security forces killed a worker during demonstrations for the reinstatement of sacked workers - has escalated.
Fury; garment worker shot dead in Bangladesh as workers strike and riot
Submitted by Red Marriott on Jun 28 2009 00:13
The persistent outbreaks of workers' anger continue in the Bangladeshi garment industry. A strike escalates...
Savar, central Bangladesh (a center of textiles and agriculture); for several days last week 1800 workers at a sweater factory in Ashulia had been striking in demand of a pay increase and settlement of outstanding wages. Management finally agreed to the demands on Thursday.
Wildcats; over 15,000 Bangladeshi garment workers "go berserk" and attack factories over non-payment and low wages
Submitted by Red Marriott on May 12 2009 13:24
Two major outbreaks of garment workers' fury have occurred this week.
On Sunday night (May 10) at the Rupashi Sweater factory in Narayanganj (a river port town in central Bangladesh and centre of jute and textiles industries) bosses were attacked by a group of workers demanding their unpaid wages. When they turned up for work on Monday morning, workers found themselves locked out of the factory.
Metering the measure of exploitation - auto rickshaw drivers' wildcat strike in Chittagong, Bangladesh
Submitted by Red Marriott on May 4 2009 13:45
Rickshaw drivers across Asia have a long history of militancy, continuing to the present...
Cycle and auto rickshaws are an essential part of the Asian urban transport infrastructure. The modern motorised auto rickshaw has evolved from the old traditional rickshaw propelled by human muscle power; this was later developed into the cycle-powered rickshaw which more recently had a rechargeable battery added to it.
Aftermath of the BDR mutiny; state murders and class struggles in Bangladesh
Submitted by Red Marriott on Apr 28 2009 16:30
Updates on;
1) deaths in custody of suspects in the February Bangladeshi Rifles (BDR) army mutiny,
2) the increasing unrest in the Bangladeshi garment industry and state measures to contain it.
The bloody revenge
Can comment on articles and discussions