Student-led protests that have been taking place in Bangladesh over the past few months, and that were brutally suppressed by the state came to a head on 5th August when Protesters stormed the palace of Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, leading her to flee the country.
This came after the deaths of some 400 protesters, killed by the police on the orders of Hasina’s government in an attempt to quell the protests.
The protests had been caused by the government’s controversial decision to reinstate a quota for public sector jobs that basically gave preference to descendents of people involved in the war of indepnednce against Pakistan in the 1970s.
The move was widely unpopular and was largely seen as nepotism for members of the ruling party nepotism. In the midsts of an economic crisis in Bangladesh the quota system sparked a huge wave of anger amongst students.
The crackdown by the state has been brutal. Curfews were put in place; internet and banking system were shutdown for long periods; protesters were not just attacked by the police, but also by mobs of the ruling party’s student wing, including at least one report of 40-50 individuals armed with batons and helmets storming a hospital to attack injured protesters receiving treatment.
Protest spread beyond the initial issue of the unjust quota system, as more sectors of society joined the students on the streets, including garment workers who are still agry about the low rise in the minimum wage that took place last October.
In some excellent reporting by Tansy Hoskins it is clear that “the student movement has had a profound impact on an industry that employs millions of people and is expected to account for 90% of Bangladesh’s $55 billion annual exports in 2024.”
The overthrow of what had become a dictatorial administration has given a glimmer of hope for much needed systemic change in Bangladesh.
The Nobel laureate, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has been brought in to be leader of an interim government. While it is unclear what impact this posting will have on the garment sector, students who led the anti-government protests have been included in his cabinet.
As Hoskins reported, a briefing by the Asia Floor Wage Alliance states: ‘The student movement underscored issues of justice and rights, which could inspire garment workers to demand better conditions in the long term. The visibility of these issues might lead to increased activism among workers, particularly in seeking improvements in wages, safety, and working conditions.’
There are fears that the political unrest could have an impact on garment workers. Report from trade unions indicate that wages were not paid earlier this month (August), and delays and factory closures prompted by the protests are already being used by brands to justify abandoning workers, by cutting orders, shifting production elsewhere and lowering supplier prices.
Brands have a history of canceling orders without offering compensation, millions of dollars are still owed in wages to workers from the covid lockdown era when brands simply cancelled orders putting the cost of already produced garments onto factories.
For our part at No Sweat, as part of the Rana Plaza Solidarity Collective we put out a statement that calls on brands not to abandon workers again, and further calls for Sheikh Hasina to be brought to justice for the deaths of hundreds of protesters on her orders. We hope that this marks a new chapter for the people of Bangladesh and we will continue to work with trade unions on the ground in their efforts to make lasting change in the garment industry under the new government.