Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DHAKA6258
2006-10-12 02:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Dhaka
how-toVZCZCXRO6522 OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHHM RUEHJO RUEHMA DE RUEHKA #6258 2850248 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 120248Z OCT 06 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2122 INFO RUCNCLC/CHILD LABOR COLLECTIVE RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1312 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 9401 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7601 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8748 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1541 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0253 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1065 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0035 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0079 RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
UNCLAS DHAKA 006258
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB ETRD PGOV BG
SUBJECT: GARMENT WORKERS RAMPAGE
UNCLAS DHAKA 006258
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB ETRD PGOV BG
SUBJECT: GARMENT WORKERS RAMPAGE
1. (SBU) Local media reported that garment workers blocked
roads, ransacked over 100 factories, and looted storefronts
in the Dhaka areas of Mipur, Uttara, Gazipur and to a limited
extent Savar over a period of four hours on 10 October.
Police fired blank shotgun rounds and deployed tear gas in an
effort to disburse rioters, but the police response,
according the media, was slow and ineffective.
2. (SBU) Bangladesh Garment Manufactuers Export Association
(BGMEA) Fazlul Hoque quickly called a press conference to
demand that law enforcement agencies, including the Rapid
Action Battalion (RAB),the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR),and the
army bring the situation under control. Hoque threatened to
close garment factories if police did not punish the people
responsible for the violence. Police told embassy that they
were told not to take strong measures against striking
workers because of the potential impact on the national
elections in January.
3. (SBU) Labor advocate Kalpona Akter told laboff that eleven
unregistered organizations, called the Garments Sramik
Sangram Parishad (GSSP),and inspired by an independent labor
wing of the Communist Party-Bangladesh led by labor agitator
Moshrefra Mishu, were primarily responsible for the violence.
Akter said that the GSSP organizations demanded higher
piece-rates and advance payment of their Eid bonus, issues
that were best negotiated at the factory level, but Mishu was
"out to make a name for herself." Akter added that 40 other
labor organizations elected not/not to take part in the
strikes, saying that the GSSP issues had more to do with
individual factory worker discontent than industry wide labor
issues.
4. (SBU) According to Akter, the 40 labor organizations that
did not participate in the 10 October unrest plan a general
nationwide strike on 15 October to protest the new labor law
and advocate for a higher minimum wage. She said it would be
peaceful. Aware that the GSSP planned to hold street rallies
on the 15 October as well, non-GSSP labor organizer Aminrul
Amin feared that if the GSSP caused violence, the police
would confuse his peaceful workers with the GSSP.
PASI
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB ETRD PGOV BG
SUBJECT: GARMENT WORKERS RAMPAGE
1. (SBU) Local media reported that garment workers blocked
roads, ransacked over 100 factories, and looted storefronts
in the Dhaka areas of Mipur, Uttara, Gazipur and to a limited
extent Savar over a period of four hours on 10 October.
Police fired blank shotgun rounds and deployed tear gas in an
effort to disburse rioters, but the police response,
according the media, was slow and ineffective.
2. (SBU) Bangladesh Garment Manufactuers Export Association
(BGMEA) Fazlul Hoque quickly called a press conference to
demand that law enforcement agencies, including the Rapid
Action Battalion (RAB),the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR),and the
army bring the situation under control. Hoque threatened to
close garment factories if police did not punish the people
responsible for the violence. Police told embassy that they
were told not to take strong measures against striking
workers because of the potential impact on the national
elections in January.
3. (SBU) Labor advocate Kalpona Akter told laboff that eleven
unregistered organizations, called the Garments Sramik
Sangram Parishad (GSSP),and inspired by an independent labor
wing of the Communist Party-Bangladesh led by labor agitator
Moshrefra Mishu, were primarily responsible for the violence.
Akter said that the GSSP organizations demanded higher
piece-rates and advance payment of their Eid bonus, issues
that were best negotiated at the factory level, but Mishu was
"out to make a name for herself." Akter added that 40 other
labor organizations elected not/not to take part in the
strikes, saying that the GSSP issues had more to do with
individual factory worker discontent than industry wide labor
issues.
4. (SBU) According to Akter, the 40 labor organizations that
did not participate in the 10 October unrest plan a general
nationwide strike on 15 October to protest the new labor law
and advocate for a higher minimum wage. She said it would be
peaceful. Aware that the GSSP planned to hold street rallies
on the 15 October as well, non-GSSP labor organizer Aminrul
Amin feared that if the GSSP caused violence, the police
would confuse his peaceful workers with the GSSP.
PASI