Arrest of trade union leader/ union busting, Bangladesh - 2025
The context of this incident is an ongoing labour struggle with Polo Composite Knit Industry Ltd. (which is owned by the AJI Group/ AJI Apparels Industry Ltd.) since November 2024, about unpaid wages and illegal worker termination. The union federation NGWF took initiative to form a trade union at Polo Composite Knit Industry Ltd. (OSH-ID BD2019221CB77GC) according to Bangladesh Labor Law. The factory authorities frequently delay payment of workers' salary and allowances. When workers protest, they are physically assaulted, threatened with death, and illegally terminated. The Federation NGWF has been pursuing cases against AJI Group, under which comes Polo Composite Knit Industry Ltd. and other factories, for labour rights violations at BGMEA and Labor Court. Currently, complaints from 17 workers are ongoing at BGMEA. Upon learning this, the factory authorities had been harassing the proposed union committee's president, general secretary, and other committee officials with unnecessary workload and in various ways. On November 15th, 2024, the factory owner and management initiated a case against eight workers at the Savar police station, of which the workers were unaware, including the president of the proposed union, Khairuzzaman Sabuj, and General Secretary Nur Habib. The 8 accused workers continued to work in the factory as usual. According to information by NGWF: On March 8th, 2025, when workers protested against unpaid wages and illegal worker termination and abuses, factory owner Ananta Jalil ordered outside thugs to attack the proposed union's president, general secretary, and other workers, seriously injuring them. On March 12th, 2025, at approximately 10 PM, on instructions from factory owner, police and military personnel, local thugs attacked the NGWF Savar office, took all documents, vandalized the office, and illegally abducted Federation Joint General Secretary Md. Kabir Hossain, proposed union President Khairuzzaman Sabuj, and General Secretary Nur Habib. Md. Kabir Hossain, the Joint General Secretary of NGWF, was unlawfully taken from the NGWF office and subsequently taken to the police station and subjected to inhumane treatment. Kabir Hossain has been working for labour rights and trade union formation in the Savar area for about 20-25 years. He has also been serving as the General Secretary of the Savar Thana Committee. Savar Police Station informed that Md. Kabir Hossain, proposed union President Khairuzzaman Sabuj, and General Secretary Nur Habib were arrested in a case filed by Ananta Jalil, owner of AJI Group's and Polo Composite Knit Industry Ltd., which accused them of provoking labour unrest, attack, and theft of assets worth 25 million BDT. Kabir Hossain, Khairuzzaman Sabuj, and Nur Habib were illegally detained at the police station and tortured. Md. Kabir Hossain has no connection to these allegations. Amirul Haque Amin, President of the NGWF states: “Shockingly, his name is not even mentioned in the case filed by AJI Group. This raises serious concerns about the motive behind his arrest. It is evident that garment factory owners are using such oppressive tactics to suppress and intimidate labour leaders. We strongly condemn this unlawful arrest and demand the immediate and unconditional release of Md. Kabir Hossain. We also urge the authorities to uphold the fundamental right to form and operate trade unions without fear of persecution.” Based on public available information (including the supplier website): AJI Group/ AJI Apparels Industry Ltd. with Polo Composite Knit Industry Ltd. have business relationships with brands like C&A, Carrefour, Kappa, Lidl, Otto Group, Primark which have the duty to report according to the Supply Chain Act / CSDDD and have also a system for grievances and remedy in place. According to separate brand statements by C&A, Primark and Otto Group, they don't have business relation with Polo Composite Knit Industry Ltd and the brands did not have contracts with AJI Group / AJI Apparels Industry Ltd. Find more details under Follow Up, down on this page. By joining the Textiles Partnership, brand members have to systematically implement due diligence obligations and thus fulfil their corporate responsibility for their business partners and employees in the supply chain. The work of the Textiles Partnership is based on the guidelines and recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector defines the most important due diligence obligations and requirements. They form the orientation framework for the review process.
Basic Information
Case ID: 2025.005
Identification Number from Open Supply Hub (OS-ID): BD2019248H90SP9
Affected Country: Bangladesh
Date of occurrence: 2025-03-17
Social Sector Risks concerned:
- Freedom of association and collective bargaining (Conventions Nr. 11 & 87 & 98 & 135 & 141 & 154; Recommendations Nr. 91 & 143)
- Discrimination (Conventions Nr. 100 & 111 & 156 &159; Recommendations Nr. 165)
- Wages (Conventions Nr. 26 & 102 & 131 & 177 & 181; FAO)
Supplier Details
AJI Apparels Industry Ltd.
226, Building 1 (4 - 6th Floor), Singair Road, Hemayetpur
SAVAR
DHAKA
1340
BANGLADESH
Phone
+88 1782777777
Supplier Website: http://www.aji-group.com
Production Site
Polo Composite Knit Industry Ltd.
226, Singair Road; Hemayetpur
SAVAR
DHAKA
Known certifications:
Oeko-Tex (step, Standard100), International Accord, WRAP, amfori/BSCI,
Source of information about certifications:
https://aji-group.com/#ajiOurCertificates
Phone number of production site: +88 1712585217
Total number of workers/employees:
6020 by BGMEA (12.000 by union)
Number of male workers: 3020 (by BGMEA) Number of female workers: 3000 (by BGMEA)
Workers movement
There are unions active.
Source of information about unions:
https://ngwfbd.com/
Business Relations
Known Buyer/Brands:
- Carrefour S.A.
- Kappa Deutschland GmbH
- Lidl Stiftung Co. KG
Source of information buyers:
https://aji-group.com/#ajiOurCustomers
Further information about buyer's sources:
At least one of the buyers has the duty to report according to the Supply Chain Act / CSDDD.
Follow up
Known Reaction by Buyer(s):
March 17th, 2025: March 18th, 2025: April 1st, 2025:
His release on bail is subject to the condition that he is not allowed to post bail again. According to the NGWF, Hossain is still being subjected to threats and surveillance by the management. He is therefore unable to continue his trade union work in the region.
The statement by NGWF continues: The owners of the factories are still trying to suppress the workers' voices and intimidate the union leaders. Despite a bail decision by the court, his release from prison was blocked twice by the management. The NGWF is calling on the management and state authorities to respect the fundamental right of workers to form and join trade unions and end the intimidation and repression. (more: https://www.industriall-union.org/bangladesh-union-leader-released-from-jail-but-the-fight-continues)
Are there any reactions to the follow up: yes
Sources
Name of reporting organisation: National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF)
Source of information about the case:
Ananta Jalil, the Chairman of AJI Group’s statement about union leader Md. Kabir Hossain: https://www.channel24bd.tv/entertainment/article/256689 Workers of Ananta Jalil’s RMG factories again block Savar road demanding unpaid wages:
Contributor: INKOTA-netzwerk
- Last updated on .