Aminul Islam murdered

Aminul Islam, a labour rights defender and long time partner of the Clean Clothes Campaign, was severely tortured and murdered on 4 April 2012. He had been tortured and jailed by security forces on previous occasions prior to his disappearance and killing. Sadly, no one has yet been held responsible for this murder.

"The government would have solved the murder mystery had it wished to do so. The Criminal Investigation Department is doing nothing."

Aminul Islam's wife Hosne Ara Fahima, cited in Huffington Post, 22 June 2013.

Repression against trade unionists and labour rights activists in Bangladesh is a serious problem, and workers’ protests have often been met with violence in recent years.

The Clean Clothes Campaign is calling for the Bangladeshi authorities to launch an immediate and impartial investigation into the killing of Aminul Islam, and for them to work tirelessly to bring the perpetrators to justice. CCC are also calling on supporters worldwide, EU missions and other organisations to generate similar pressure on the Bangladeshi authorities in order to stop the culture of impunity that has led to this tragic murder. It is most likely that Aminul was murdered because of his labour rights work.

Major companies and industry associations have sent letters of concern to the Bangladeshi government, and called upon the government to take all measures to ensure that worker representatives and labour rights organisations have a safe environment to work for workers’ rights and benefits without fear.

Aminul Islam had already been detained by the Bangladeshi National Intelligence Service in June 2010. According to Aminul, he was subjected to severe and repeated beatings. His captors said they would stop only if he agreed to give false testimonies against his colleagues at the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS).