Garment worker leader Shahidul was murdered at Gazipur, near Dhaka, on June 25th , 2023.
Two more garment workers and trade union organizers were murder before the blood stain
had not dried yet of Shahidul.
Shahidul was the leader the of Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation
(BGIWF) and the next 2 are the members and organizers of the National Garment Workers
Federation (NGWF).
The identity of the next 2 :
1. Md. Rabiul Islam, Card No: 206, Designation: Supervisor, Apparels Accessories & Printing
Ltd., Ashulia, Dhaka.
2. Md. Rabiul Islam, Father : Asmat Sheikh, Card No : 57560, Designation : Operator, Shinest
Washing Ltd. (Shinest Group), Adabar, Dhaka.
First one among these two was directly Murder by the hired goons of the garment owners.
Second one lost his life due to the negligence, irresponsibility and mismanagement of garment
owners and buyers.
Description of the murders/killings:
1. Md Rabiul Islam, Apparels Accessories and Printing Ltd. On 31.07.2023, the hired goons of
the factory owner( This group is the known as the killer group for the factory owners ) took
him from his house and brutally killed . Later, the police recovered his dead body in a sack
after 3 days from the bank of a pond in Dhamrai, Hatipara ( 15 Km far away ) and handed it
over to the family.
2. Md. Rabiul Islam, Shinest Washing Ltd. (Shinest Group). He worked in the washing section of
the factory as a hydro boiler machine operator. On 03.08.2023 at 1.20 pm, the cover of the
hydro boiler machine fell off and hit Rabiul Islam on the head. After being taken to the
hospital, the doctor declared him dead.
In the preliminary investigation, 4 reasons were identified :
A. Hydro boiler machine installation and operation guide lines were not followed properly.
b. Machine was operated in overload condition.
c. The machine was operated at excessive speed without complying with the specified speed.
d. There was fault in machine maintenance.
Therefore, this death cannot be called a natural death or as simply accident. This is the result
of negligence, irresponsibility, mismanagement and over pressure by the factory owners and
buyers for more output / production —which is counted as worker murder because of
negligence and irresponsibility.
Activities of National Garment Workers Federation (at the local areas):
Md. Rabiul Islam, Apparels Accessories and Printing Ltd
1. With the help of the federation, the victim’s sister filed a case against 17 . Case No:
9/356 dated 01.08.2023, Thana-Dhamrai, Dhaka.
2. Federation organized a program at Ashulia protesting the murder , demanding the
arrest and punishment of the accused.
Dr. Rabiul Islam, Shinest Washing Ltd. (Shinest Group) :
1. Local leaders of the federation continue to maintain contact with the family.
2. They are campaigning against this murder and trying to organize the workers and area
against this.
Role of Owners :
A. Both the owners are trying to manage in unethical way .
b. Trying to manage the family with nominal money.
c. Continuously pressuring and threatening the family .
d. Shinest owners have taken the victim’s family hostage , Sent back the father of Dead at the
village .
e. Shinest owners gave small money to the father and telling – will give more money
Role of administration:
A. Dhamrai and Ashulia police stations are not arresting the main accused and instigators.
b. Police authorities are pressurizing the victim’s family through other people to sit down with
the owner.
c. Adabar police did not take any case and did not filed any case from their side .
e. Police authorities have not conducted any investigation in this regard.
f. The family is constantly under pressure.
National Garment Workers Federation’s Central Programme:
A. The National Garment Workers Federation has written to BGMEA, Inspector General of
Factories, Director General of Labor and Ministry of Labor demanding justice for both the
murders.
B. A press conference was held on August 10, 2023 at the National Press Club in Dhaka. In
presence of the leaders of the federation, more than 200 workers of Ashulia and Adabar were
present in the press conference.
All the family members of Md. Rabiul Islam of the Apparels Accessories and Printing Ltd. were
present at the press conference.
Solidarity speakers were :
● Mr. Nurul Amin, Joint-Convenor, Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP-Umbrela of
the national trade union centers).
● Mr. Shakeel Akhtar Chowdhury, Central Leader, ITUC Bangladesh Committee (ITUC –
Bangladesh).
● Mr. Qutubuddin Ahmed, General Secretary, IndustriAll Bangladesh Council (IBC).
● Mr. Mustafa Kamal, Coordinator, UNIBLC (UNI Global-Bangladesh Council).
● Mr. Sabbah Ali Khan Collins, Former President, Youth Unity of Bangladesh.
● Ms. Aditi Adrita Srishti, General Secretary, Bangladesh Chhatra Moitri (Student Unity of
Bangladesh).
National Garment Workers Federation raised demands at the press conference.
1. Demand for the arrest of all the accused and the instigators of the murder of Md. Rabiul
Islam, a worker of Apparels Accessories and Printing Ltd.
2. Demand to accept the case and arrest the accused in the negligent murder of Md.
Rabiul Islam, a worker of Shinest Washing Ltd. (Shinest Group).
3. Demand for maximum punishment for all the accused involved in both murders.
4. Demand for compensation equal to lifetime income to the families of the 2 deceased
workers as per ILO Convention-121.
5. Liability of compensation shall be borne by the concerned garments authority, all
buyers, BGMEA and Government.
6. The government should immediately take necessary measures to stop the killing of
garment workers and leaders.
7. A call on all local trade unions, labor rights organizations, human rights organizations,
international trade union federations, ILO to stop the killing of garment workers and
activists in Bangladesh.
8. A call on everyone to come forward to help the family dependent on the murder
victims, both of the Rabiuls. (In both mentioned cases, the deceased were the only
earners in the family. The family members of the deceased Rabiul of Apparels
Accessories and Printing Ltd. includes his wife, son, mother and his sister still studying in
university. On the other hand, Shinest’s deceased Rabiul’s family members include his
old father and younger brother).
Raise Your Voice , Come forward , Stop Killing of Workers and Trade Union Activist in
the RMG sector in Bangladesh
Amirul Haque Amin
President , National Garment Workers Federation ( NGWF ) affiliated with the IA.
President , Industri all Bangladesh Council ( IBC )
General Secretary , National Store and Shop Employees Federation ( NSEF )affiliated
with the UNI
Member , Steering committee , International Accord
Co- Chair , RSC ( Readymade Garments Sustainability Council )
Mobile 0088 01731 201302
