In a statement, Amnesty International has condemned the use of force against protesters on Wednesday.
The clashes between garment workers with the police in demonstrations related to the minimum wage reportedly led to the tragic deaths of at least two garment workers.
Amnesty is calling on the authorities to cease the violent repression of workers’ right to protest even as it urged for an immediate investigation into the reported deaths, emphasising the importance of holding those responsible fully and promptly accountable for their actions.
Highlighting the disparity between the new minimum wage of Taka 12,500 and the recommended living wage—estimated at around Taka 51,000 by the Asia Floor Wage Alliance and Taka 33,368 by the Bangladesh Institute for Labour Studies—Amnesty International underscores the inadequacy of the current wage structure in meeting basic living costs.
The organisation urged the Bangladesh Government to guarantee that garment workers can exercise their right to freedom of association without facing repression.
It also called upon fashion brands that source from Bangladesh, urging them to fulfil their commitments to uphold labour rights and ensure the payment of a living wage to workers within their supply chain.