By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
DHAKA, Bangladesh – On January 31st, Human Rights Watch (HRW) publicly criticized the Bangladesh government’s treatment of civil rights. HRW alleged that government has curtailed basic rights during its emergency rule. Brad Adams, Asia Director at HRW, stated, “The interim government is abusing its emergency powers to target individuals who are trying to protect workers’ rights in Bangladesh’s most important export industry. This should set off alarm bells among donors and governments who don’t seem to understand or care how the authorities are using the state of emergency to systematically suppress basic rights.”
The unrest between labor rights activists and government officials has escalated in the last few weeks. On January 22nd, authorities arrested a staff member of the American Center for Labor Solidarity, and two days later authorities questioned a Danish national who works for the Workers Rights Consortium. Criminal charges have also been filed against at least a dozen union members. Other activists also complain that they are under constant surveillance, and authorities are monitoring them for “engineering or inciting subversive activities within the garment industry.” Most recently, Mehedi Hasan, a field worker for the Workers Rights Consortium, was arrested and is still in police custody for his help in organizing union activities.
Bangladesh law enforcement has confirmed that Mehedi Hasan and other labor leaders were involved in provoking the unrest and protests in the garment industry. Court sources have reported that Mehedi Hasan confessed to interrogators that he collected information about workers’ problems and emailed the information to WRC headquarters in Washington DC. He also confessed to encouraging garment workers to press for their demands and holding meetings with garment workers.
Relations between journalists and Bangladesh authorities are poor. Journalists allege that the army, intelligence agencies, and paramilitary groups have threatened and intimidated them, warning them against defaming the government and army. Elaine Pearson, Deputy Asia Director at HRW, said, “The harassment and intimidation of numerous journalists and activists has instilled enough fear that the media is now censoring itself, especially when it comes to the military.”
Bangladesh is currently under emergency rule and has been so since January 2007. President Iajuddin Ahmed declared emergency rule because of weeks of violent street protests following electoral reforms. The government has promised new elections before the end of 2008.
For more information, please see:
The Daily Star – Provocation of Foreign Body, Labour Leaders Found in Probe –31 January 2008
Human Rights Watch – Bangladesh: Labor Activists in Export Sector Harassed –31 January 2008
Impunity Watch – Bangladesh Arrests Labor Rights Activist – 30 January 2008
International Herald Tribune – Bangladesh Rebuts Critical Human Rights Report– 1 February 2008
