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Sexual Harassment, Bangladesh - 2025

 

Demands of protesting women workers at Lusaka

Demands of protesting women workers at Lusaka | Copyright: NGWF

At the Tammam Design factory in Bangladesh and another factory of the Lusaka Group, there were repeated cases of sexual harassment of female workers. Instead of taking action against these incidents, 85 female workers were dismissed.

The Lusaka Group is a large clothing company in Bangladesh. Workers from two factories belonging to the group, Tammam Design and Beq Knit, both located in Ashulia near Dhaka, have been complaining about sexual harassment by middle management since last year. They talked rudely to the women and physically harassed them.

The workforce protested against the repeated misbehaviour, but no action was taken by the management. At the beginning of December 2024, 85 female workers were finally dismissed. No compensation or outstanding salary was paid (as of 7 January 2025). A complaint to the BGMEA (the Bangladeshi garment exporters' association) did not lead to a solution either. A complaint to the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) of the Ministry of Labour led to a meeting with the factory owner on 11 December 2024. However, a follow-up meeting on 22 December 2024 did not take place as planned, as the company cancelled its participation shortly beforehand.

On the initiative of the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF), a memorandum was sent to the Minister of Labour on Sunday, 22 December, protesting against sexual harassment and unlawful dismissals at the Lusaka Group and against the disregard for the BGMEA and the DIFE.

As the grievances had not been resolved by 7 January 2025, 50 female employees who had been victims of sexual harassment went on a symbolic hunger strike in protest in front of the National Press Club.

The strikers and the union representing them, NGWF, are demanding that the three Lusaka Group executives who sexually harassed the workers be punished and that the dismissed employees be reinstated with their previous salaries.

 

Basic Information

Case ID: 2025-002

Identification Number from Open Supply Hub (OS-ID): BD202019127K2QA

Open Supply Hub Link

Affected Country: Bangladesh

Date of occurrence: 2025-01-07

Social Sector Risks concerned:

  • Gender Based Violence

Supplier Details

TAMMAM DESIGN LTD (Lusaka Group)
42, TAYIBPUR,(PUKURPAR) ZIRABO

Savar

DHAKA

1341

Bangladesh
Phone
(+8802) 55092073, 55092060, 55092062, 55092129

Supplier Website: https://lusakagroupbd.com/site/unit-details/5/tammam-design-ltd

Production Site



Total number of workers/employees:
1200

No gender specific information available.

Workers movement

There are unions active.

Name(s) of union(s) :
National Garment Workers Federation

Source of information about unions:
https://ngwfbd.com/

No information about workers commitee available.

Business Relations



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):

Contacted by FEMNET regarding the naming on Lusaka Groups website (where "Aldi" - not further specified) is mentioned as a buyer ALDI SOUTH answered:" (...) We can confirm that the ALDI SOUTH Group has no business ties with the company, neither direct nor indirect, named in your email (...)". (Mail from 2025/02/12)

ALDI NORTH replied: "We have read your post on Linkedin about the case of sexual harassment at the Tammam Design factory in Bangladesh, which also mentions a connection to the ALDI North Group. We have checked this and must correct it accordingly: the ALDI North Group has no direct or indirect business relationship with the factory. (...)" (Mail in German, received on 2025/02/12, Translation: SÜDWIND; ALDI North replied to a LinkedIn post by Sabine Ferenschild).

The project partners recommended to Aldi that it approach Lusaka Group with a request to delete the reference to Aldi on the website or to clarify which ALDI company   is meant by the customer ‘Aldi’.

 

Sources

Name of reporting organisation: National Garment Workers Federation

The National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) is a registered national trade union federation of garment workers in Bangladesh. With 87 registered factory unions, it is considered one of the four main federations of garment workers' unions. NGWF is the initiator and a member of the Bangladesh Garments Workers Unity Council and a member of the Bangladesh Center for Workers' Solidarity. It is affiliated with Clean Clothes Campaign, IndustriALL Global Union and was one of the signatories of the Bangladesh Accord.

Source of information about the case:

Direct communication with NGWF

Contributor: SÜDWIND , FEMNET

 

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