Is your favorite clothing brand complicit in the crackdown?

In December 2018, a new minimum wage of 8,000Tk (US$95) a month for Bangladesh’s garment workers went into effect. In protest of the sub-poverty wage – which is half the amount the labor movement had demanded – workers at dozens of factories took the streets in largely peaceful strikes. The government of Bangladesh’s security forces responded violently. They shot one worker dead on the street on his way home during his lunch break and many others sustained injuries at the hands of the police. Over the next two months, 65 workers were arrested with hundreds more facing unsubstantiated charges at the behest of factory owners. As many as 11,600 workers were dismissed without legal justification, most of whom have been unable to find other jobs due to systematic blacklisting.

This is the largest crackdown on workers’ rights in the last two decades of garment production in Bangladesh.

The table below, updated on March 10, 2020, lists major apparel brands linked to factories that filed unsubstantiated cases against workers who demonstrated for higher wages. As a result of campaign efforts, the charges filed by 14 factories have now been dropped.  At least 20 other cases are still underway, however, with no sign yet of the buyers taking sufficient action to press for the dismissal of the charges. 


Top Brands Buying from the Factories

Brand

Factories that pressed trumped-up criminal charges against workers

Factories that filed a petition to withdraw their charges

Factories
whose charges were dismissed in court

Workers still facing charges

How consumers can take action

3

2

2

25 named and
100-150 unnamed workers

Tweet at C&A

Post on C&A’s
Facebook

6

5

5

500-600 unnamed workers

Tweet at H&M

Post on H&M’s Facebook


(Inditex)

4

2

2

50 named and 260-315 unnamed workers
 

Tweet at Zara

Post on Zara's
Facebook

5*

4

4

500-600 unnamed workers

Tweet at Mango

Post on Mango’s Facebook

3

3

3

0 workers

 

 

6

5

5

500-600 unnamed workers

Tweet at Next

Post on Next’s
Facebook

3

2

2

7 named and
20-25 unnamed workers

Tweet at Primark

Post on Primark’s Facebook

* Mango does not disclose its supplier lists publicly. Therefore, the factories supplying Mango were identified from customer information publicized on factory websites, and the actual numbers may vary.

Inditex discloses only its wet-processsing suppliers, which is the information we used here. It is possible that there are additional factories associated with Inditex than those identified in this chart.

Case Information

In the wake of the crackdown, factory owners and the industrial police filed at least 34 criminal cases against workers exercizing their right to protest peacefully. Some of these factories supply to the major brands listed above, but many others supply to lesser known brands or to brands that could not be identified. The list below lists 34 cases identified as attempts to silence worker voices. We are calling upon the brands named here where cases are listed as pending to urge their supplier factories to withdraw the charges immediately. We also urge all brands that are not transparent about their supply chains to check whether they are buying from any of the factories with pending cases. International solidarity and brand intervention has made a difference in getting 14 cases in the supply chains of major garment companies dropped. The brands listed here were buying from the factories in 2018-2019 or are currently buying from the factories. In a few cases, a brand buying from a factory in 2018-2019 may no longer be buying from the factory.

Case

Status

Police Station,
Date Filed

Complainant

# of Accused Workers (By Name)

# of Accused Workers (Unnamed)

Charges

Brands Buying from Factory

Case 63/63

Pending

Savar Police Station
January 15th 2019

Al Muslim

1

 

Penal Code: 328/511

 

Case 44/44

Pending

Ashulia Police Station
January 17th 2019

Algausia

23

20-25

Penal Code: 143/448/323/427/379/506

 

Case 9/9

Pending

Gacha Police Station
January 14th 2019

Besta Apparels Ltd

4

20-25

Penal code: 143/447/323/427/506

 

Case 29/29

Pending

Rupgonj Police Station
January 10th 2019

Disney Sweater

7

20-25

Penal Code: 143/323/324/307/379/506

Lidl, Primark

Case 35/35

Pending

Ashulia Police Station
January 13th 2019

Donglian Fashion Ltd

31

100

Penal Code: 143/323/379/427

 

Case 06/06

Pending

Gacha Police Station
January 8th 2019

East West Industrial Park Ltd

44

Many

Penal Code: 143/447/448/323/380/427/506

 

Case 14(01)19

Pending

Gacha Police Station, Gazipur
January 17th 2019

Eco Couture Ltd

60

10-15

Penal Code: 143/447/448/340/341/427/123/140

VF Corporation, Kontoor Brands, Puma

Case 13/13

Pending

Airport Police Station
January 7th 2019

Ena Transport

 

A few

Penal Code: 143/427/435/506

 

Case 18(12)/18

Pending

Fatullah, Narayongonj
December 7th 2018

Industrial Police

 

500-600 (Abanti Color Tex & NR Group)

Penal Code: 143/145/147/148/427/341/332/333/353/34

At Abanti: H&M, Mango*, Next

Case 27/27

Pending

Savar Model Police Station
January 08th 2019

Industrial Police

 

1400-1500

Penal Code: 143/147/332/333/353/427

 

Case 30(10)18 Pending Sadar, GMP, Gazipur October 21st 2018 Intermax Apparels Ltd 28 100-150 Penal Code: 143/448/323/307/380/427/506/109  

Case 03/13

Pending

Konabari Police Station
January 2nd 2019

Islam Garments

21

100-150

Penal Code: 143/447/448/323/380/427/506(2)/114/34

C&A, Inditex, Walmart

Case 50/50

Pending

Savar Model Police Station
January 13th 2019

JK Group

25

160-165

Penal Code: 143/448/323/427/380/506

Inditex

Case 9/9

Pending

Konabari Police Station
January 11th 2019

Marchent Dyeing Fashion Ltd

12

20-25

Penal Code: 143/447/48/323/379/427/342/114/506(2)/34

 

Case 13/13

Pending

Konabari Police Station
January 14th 2019

Rezaul Apparels Pvt. Ltd

5

50-60

Penal Code: 143/447/448/323/380/341/342/427/506/114/34

 

Case 23/23

Pending

Tongi East Police Station
January 12th 2019

Shishir Knitting & Dyeing Ltd

 

250-300 (outside workers)

Penal Court: 143/447/448/323/379/427/506/34

Matalan

Case 43

Pending

Ashulia Police Station
December 18th 2018

Silver Gallery

26

60-70

Penal Code: 143/323/327/427/506

 

Case 14/14

Pending

Tongi East Police Station
January 9th 2019

Tangon Garment Ltd

1

100-120

Penal Code: 143/448/427/380/34

 

Case 10/10

Pending

Gacha Police Station
January 14th 2019

Tex Tech Ltd

5

100-150

 

 

Case 17/17

Pending

Tongi East Police Station
January 10th 2019

Tivoli Apparels Ltd

65 (Gold Star Apparels)

100-150 (Sumi Apparels, Gold Star Apparels, Tusuka Garments, Northern, Eco Apparels, and Radission)

Penal Code: 143/448/427/34

 

Case 27/27

Dismissed

Ashulia Police Station
January 11th 2019

AR Jeans

62

200-250

Penal Code: 143/323/342/427/379/506

Cool Investments, Mango*

Case 01/01

Dismissed

Kashim Pur Police Station
January 2nd 2019

Doreen Apparels

 

150-200

Penal Code: 143/447/48/323/379/427/342/114/506(2)/34

Arcadia Group

Case 43/43

Dismissed

Ashulia Police Station
January 16th 2019

FNF Trend

52

300-400

Penal Code: 143/448/323/307/427/506

 

Case 33/33

Dismissed

Ashulia Police Station
January 12th 2019

Hameem Group

 

50-60

Penal Code: 143/447/448/323/427/379/506

Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Gap Inc, Mango*, VF Corporation

Case 13/13

Dismissed

Tongi East Police Station
January 9th 2019

Hop Lun Apparels Ltd

 

200-250

Penal Code: 143/448/427/436/34

C&A, Cotton On, H&M, Next, Primark

Case 25/25

Dismissed

Ashulia Police Station
January 11th 2019

Knit Asia

50

 

Penal Code: 143/427/323/506

American Eagle Outfitters, Marks & Spencer, Mango*, Next, Primark

Case 7/7

Dismissed

Gacha Police Station
January 8th 2019

Luna Fashion

 

30-40

Penal Code: 143/447/448/323/380/427/506

H&M

Case 30/30

Dismissed

Ashulia Police Station
January 11th 2019

Mahmud Fashion

29

20-25

Penal Code: 143/323/32/307/379/427/506

C&A, HEMA, Mango*, Marks & Spencer, Next

Case 17/17

Dismissed

Ashulia Police Station
January 9th 2019

Metro Knitting & Dyeing Mills Ltd

55

200-300

Penal Code: 143/323/427/380/506

H&M, Inditex, Next

Case 12/12

Dismissed

Tongi East Police Station
January 9th 2019

Northern Corporation Ltd

1

199-269

Penal Code: 143/448/323/326/307/427/436/380/34

 

Case 30/30

Dismissed

Ashulia Police Station
January 11th 2019

Orbit Apparels Ltd

 

40-45

Penal Code: 143/447/448/323/427/379/506

 

Case 15/15

Dismissed

Tongi East Police Station
January 9th 2019

Patriot Eco Apparel Ltd

 

140-150

Penal Code: 143/447/448/323/427/380/436/34

Canadian Tire, Next

Case 34/34

Dismissed

Ashulia Police Station
January 12th 2019

Shin Shin Apparels Ltd

 

500-600

Penal Code: 143/448/323/307/427

H&M

Case 16/16

Dismissed

Tongi East Police Station
January 9th 2019

Tusuka Apparels Ltd

31 (Tivoli Garments)

9-14

Penal Code: 143/448/427/34

H&M, Inditex, Marks & Spencer

Charges

Penal Code Charge Sentence Term Description
143 Punishment 6 months Whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.
307
Attempt to murder 
Life Whoever does any act with such intention or knowledge, and under such circumstances that, if he by that act caused death, he would be guilty of murder, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine; and, if hurt is caused to any person by such act, the offender shall be liable either to imprisonment] for life, or to such punishment as is hereinbefore mentioned.
323
Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt
1 year Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 334, voluntarily causes hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand taka, or with both.
342
Punishment for wrongful confinement
3 years (?) Whoever wrongfully confines any person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand taka, or with both.
379
Punishment for theft
3 years Whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
380
Theft in dwelling-house, etc.
7 years Whoever commits theft in any building, tent or vessel, which building, tent or vessel is used as a human dwelling, or use for the custody of property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
427
Mishchief causing damage
2 years Whoever commits mischief and thereby causes loss or damage to the amount of fifty taka or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
447
Punishment for criminal trespass
3 months Whoever commits criminal trespass shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred taka, or with both.
448
Punishment for house-trespass
1 year Whoever commits house-trespass shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand taka, or with both.
506
Punishment for criminal intimidation
2 years Whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both

 

This page was last updated on March 10, 2020.