The body of Islam, who was detained and tortured by state security in 2010, was found some 100km from where he had last been seen bearing marks of physical abuse.
“Workers’ in Bangladesh’s huge readymade garment sector often face long hours and work in appalling and hazardous conditions for extremely low wages. The violence and harassment against Aminul Islam has now ended with his brutal death. The authorities must undertake a full investigation into this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.
Aminul Islam was senior organiser with the Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity and President of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation’s (BGIWF) Local Committee of Savar and Asulia. The government deregistered BCWS and arrested its two leaders in 2010, also claiming that Islam was engaged in illegal activity but never providing any evidence to back the allegations.