Bangladeshis at Ramatex riot over living conditions

POLICE had to be called in to break up a riot at the Ramatex Textile Factory in Windhoek during lunch time yesterday as tempers flared among Bangladeshi workers at the firm.

What originally started out as a food fight, with workers hurling food at the factory’s management, turned ugly as the Bangladeshi men went on a rampage, breaking hostel windows and kicking down doors in protest against their living conditions. The last straw for the more than 400 Bangladeshis, who have been employed at the factory since last month, was when their lunch arrived – it was unappetising pots of rice.Food is prepared for them at a house in Windhoek West, where they have lived in squalid conditions since their arrival in the country.It is then transported to the factory premises.The Bangladeshi workers, most of whom do sewing work in Factory C, demanded to be fed the same food as the Chinese workers at the factory.Chinese and Filipino workers live in hostels and eat in canteens at the factory.According to a source, the men kicked down the doors to the kitchens at the canteen and demanded better food.Security personnel were unable to control the irate workers and the Police were called in.Soon after calm was restored, the workers were transported back to their compound and will not return to work until they meet with their agent – Eastern Overseas – at the weekend.The Namibian has learned that the agency has secured a contract to bring 2 000 Bangladeshis to Namibia.They are being paid US$100 per person per month to accommodate, feed and transport the workers during their stay.The men say at least 600 more visas have been obtained from the Namibian Embassy in Malaysia to bring more of their countrymen to Namibia.But the process has apparently been halted until the situation improves.The majority of the men now working at the factory are unskilled.They have paid as much as US$3 500 (more than N$21 000) to secure work in Namibia for a salary of US$120 a month.A third of their salary is deducted for food, which the workers describe as unacceptable and contributing to regular illnesses.They are being made to live in every available nook and cranny in one house with only one bathroom between them.Their plight was brought to the attention of Government, the Windhoek Municipality and the workers’ unions when The Namibian first reported on their situation last month.The municipality has now ordered that all illegal building renovations on the property be stopped, and that Eastern Overseas relocate the workers within the next month.Two weeks ago, an official from the Bangladeshi High Commission based in Pretoria, South Africa, visited Namibia to see first hand how their nationals were being treated.At least 25 men indicated to him that they wanted to return to their homeland, but had no resources to do so.The official was given an assurance by the factory that the workers’ living arrangements would be improved.This week, various Government officials and the Namibian Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Nafau) representatives visited the property.The last straw for the more than 400 Bangladeshis, who have been employed at the factory since last month, was when their lunch arrived – it was unappetising pots of rice.Food is prepared for them at a house in Windhoek West, where they have lived in squalid conditions since their arrival in the country.It is then transported to the factory premises.The Bangladeshi workers, most of whom do sewing work in Factory C, demanded to be fed the same food as the Chinese workers at the factory.Chinese and Filipino workers live in hostels and eat in canteens at the factory.According to a source, the men kicked down the doors to the kitchens at the canteen and demanded better food.Security personnel were unable to control the irate workers and the Police were called in.Soon after calm was restored, the workers were transported back to their compound and will not return to work until they meet with their agent – Eastern Overseas – at the weekend.The Namibian has learned that the agency has secured a contract to bring 2 000 Bangladeshis to Namibia.They are being paid US$100 per person per month to accommodate, feed and transport the workers during their stay.The men say at least 600 more visas have been obtained from the Namibian Embassy in Malaysia to bring more of their countrymen to Namibia.But the process has apparently been halted until the situation improves.The majority of the men now working at the factory are unskilled.They have paid as much as US$3 500 (more than N$21 000) to secure work in Namibia for a salary of US$120 a month.A third of their salary is deducted for food, which the workers describe as unacceptable and contributing to regular illnesses.They are being made to live in every available nook and cranny in one house with only one bathroom between them.Their plight was brought to the attention of Government, the Windhoek Municipality and the workers’ unions when The Namibian first reported on their situation last month.The municipality has now ordered that all illegal building renovations on the property be stopped, and that Eastern Overseas relocate the workers within the next month.Two weeks ago, an official from the Bangladeshi High Commission based in Pretoria, South Africa, visited Namibia to see first hand how their nationals were being treated.At least 25 men indicated to him that they wanted to return to their homeland, but had no resources to do so.The official was given an assurance by the factory that the workers’ living arrangements would be improved.This week, various Government officials and the Namibian Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Nafau) representatives visited the property.