The plight of the textile workers of Bangladesh and their struggle for a better life has errupted in sporadic episodes and manifestations over the past few years. The overwhelming majority of the hundreds of thousands of garment workers are women and many of them have been hit hard by the pandemic and the post-pandemic shock recovery. Over a month ago, in late October they went on strike and took to the streets again, demanding proper payment and better work conditions. This time, things are different, as the violent clashes with the police intensified, as well as the acts of resistance, sabotage and occupation of factories and workplaces.
This Sunday – December 10, we are organizing a talk with Bangladeshi activist-documentary photographer Taslima Akhter and a comrade from the local branch of the FAU about this struggle. We invite all comrades who are interested in the labour and union movement in Bangladesh to join this discussion.
The talk will focus on how this struggle is a continuation of the colonial and later post-colonial history of the area, on why the garment industry is still mostly a female profession and on the roles of Western capital and US imperialism in maintaining a reactioanary, neoliberal system in place.
The talk will begin at 16:00 (Münster time) and will take place at B-Side, Am Hawerkamp 29, Münster (NRW), Germany.