09-12-2004, 05:28 PM
<b>NAMIBIA EXPELS BHOOKHANANGADESHI WORKERS</b> <!--emo&:thumbsup--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbup.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbup.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<b>Namibia has ordered the repatriation of about 400 Bangladeshi textile workers after a protest about their employment conditions at a factory.
The workers assaulted two managers who had come to inspect conditions at a plant near the capital, Windhoek.
The workers claimed their employers were withholding more than one third of their monthly salary to pay for food.</b>
The factory is owned by Ramatex, a Malaysian supplier to major sportswear brands such as Nike and Puma.
<b>Single toilet </b>
The workers arrived in Namibia from Bangladesh last month after being promised a salary of $120 per month.
One of the labourers told AFP news agency they had to pay $3,500 dollars<b>*</b> to be recruited.
"To raise that money, most of us had to sell our houses, land and livestock and take out loans. As a result many are indebted today", Hossein Zakkir said.
An AFP journalist who was shown their living conditions at the plant said the Bangladeshis were forced to share a single toilet and to use outside taps to wash.
The Namibian government has said it will investigate the situation, reports say.
The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) has threatened national action unless the conditions of the Bangladeshis is improved, AFP reports.
<b>*</b>Pay over nearly Four Years Salary (Actal Salary would be USD 120 - USD 40 for for Food i.e. USD 8- p.m.) as recruiting charges? Who sould believe it?
I hope that the Indian Government takes a leaf out of the Nimibian Government's Book and orders the repatriation of the 30-50 Million Bhookhanangadeshi Illegal Immigrants in India.
Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<b>Namibia has ordered the repatriation of about 400 Bangladeshi textile workers after a protest about their employment conditions at a factory.
The workers assaulted two managers who had come to inspect conditions at a plant near the capital, Windhoek.
The workers claimed their employers were withholding more than one third of their monthly salary to pay for food.</b>
The factory is owned by Ramatex, a Malaysian supplier to major sportswear brands such as Nike and Puma.
<b>Single toilet </b>
The workers arrived in Namibia from Bangladesh last month after being promised a salary of $120 per month.
One of the labourers told AFP news agency they had to pay $3,500 dollars<b>*</b> to be recruited.
"To raise that money, most of us had to sell our houses, land and livestock and take out loans. As a result many are indebted today", Hossein Zakkir said.
An AFP journalist who was shown their living conditions at the plant said the Bangladeshis were forced to share a single toilet and to use outside taps to wash.
The Namibian government has said it will investigate the situation, reports say.
The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) has threatened national action unless the conditions of the Bangladeshis is improved, AFP reports.
<b>*</b>Pay over nearly Four Years Salary (Actal Salary would be USD 120 - USD 40 for for Food i.e. USD 8- p.m.) as recruiting charges? Who sould believe it?
I hope that the Indian Government takes a leaf out of the Nimibian Government's Book and orders the repatriation of the 30-50 Million Bhookhanangadeshi Illegal Immigrants in India.
Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->