[act-ma] Bangladesh: Beyond Tazreen (12/5/15, MIT 56-167)

[litu]

The Alliance for a Secular and Democratic South Asia
invites you to a
Commemorative Meeting
“Beyond Tazreen”
Saturday 3 pm - December 5, 2015
 MIT Room 56-167http://whereis.mit.edu/?go=56

On November 24, 2012, fire broke out in a garments factory “Tazreen” in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  Over 120 workers were burnt alive and more than twice as many injured.
Tazreen is neither the first nor the last tragedy to fall upon garment workers in South Asia.  Punishing “fast-fashion” deadlines of multinational buyers, below poverty wages, gender violence and subverted unionization attempts sum the life of over four million garment workers in Bangladesh.  Rivalry between political parties are put aside in common accord of the state and factory owners against workers.

Is a better world possible?   What role does a garments industry have in the path to development and the alleviation of poverty?  How does neglect of rural needs factor in mass unemployment and rock-bottom urban worker wages?  Are countries such as Bangladesh locked in low wage employment and transfer of profits overseas?  How can solidarity help workers in their day to day struggles?
Please join us for a meeting “Beyond Tazreen”.  Presentations will be made by Alliance activists followed by an open discussion.