Pressure on Workers Committees, overtime, unpaid wages, Bangladesh - 2025

At the Masihata Sweater Ltd. factory (part of the Masihata Group), the Masihata Sweater Workers and Employees Union (CBA and affiliated with National Garment Workers Federation, NGWF) have been working constructively for the interests of the workers for years under an official collective agreement. In 2022, according to the statutes of the union and labour law, a new committee was formed and registered. According to information by the union, another committee will be established by management in 2024. On 08.02.2025, the president of the Masihata union, Ms. Tania Akter, was summoned to the management's office and forced to sign blank documents and the resignation under threat of a weapon. The federation of Trade Unions (NGWF) then filed complaints with the competent authorities, including the Ministry of Labour, the Export Association BGMEA. As a result, the factory management was forced to reinstate Ms. Tania Akter. She was re-elected president of the Masihata Trade Union Committee for the second time. This includes 7 people from the previous committee and 6 newly elected people. The union has been officially registered since 21.3.2025.

According to witnesses, the factory management has continued the practice of individual intimidation and obstruction of trade union work since March 2025.

Thus, an excessive workload is imposed on individuals. The trade unionists are prevented from talking to their colleagues. Workers were forced to work until midnight after an eight-hour working day, which puts women in particular in a difficult situation. For an extended period of time, workers were forced to work without a break (according to the union's documentation, there were 96 hours of overtime per person on 31 consecutive days in May, and 155 hours of overtime per worker in the workforce on 30 days in June). The weekly days off were not granted. In July 2025, many employees were entitled to four weeks of vacation, of which only one week was allowed. In August 2025, there were significantly delayed payments of wages. According to the Bangladesh Labour Code, salaries must be paid within the first 7 days of the month. Even by August 29, the salaries had not been paid.

At the same time, the management and the compliance manager have become more aggressive in their actions against the established Masihata union committee. On 12.08.2025, the management installed a "yellow" committee. In the days that followed, attempts were made to intimidate the elected leaders of the Masihata union. For example, stairs inside the factory were blocked and hostility was stirred up, especially against female workers (see picture).

Masihata Group also owns two other factories -Mega Yarn Dyeing Mills Ltd. and Suhcheon Company (BD) Ltd. - where unions affiliated with NGWF are also present.

In Mega Yarn Dyeing Mills Ltd., about 30 workers were illegally terminated in October 2024. In Suhcheon Company (BD) Ltd., the factory management unlawfully terminated members of the union’s executive committee and intimidated them into leaving the area. The documented incidents by the management constitute unfair labour practices under Section 186 of the Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006.

Masihata Sweater Ltd. And the Masihata Group is known for the production of sweat shirts and produces for brands such as H&M, C&A, Ulla Popken, Zara, Bugatti, New Yorker, NKD, Adler, Calvin Klein, Tom Tailer, Tchibo, Amazon. In the area of sustainability, the group but also individual companies are members of various initiatives, e.g. the Accord, Alliance, BSCI, WRAP, Oeko-Tex 100, ZDHC, Partnership for Sustainable Textiles (PST): https://www.masihata.com/Achivement.html

Basic Information

Case ID: 2025.017

Identification Number from Open Supply Hub (OS-ID): BD20190853EMPB5

Open supply hub link

Affected Country: Bangladesh

Social Sector Risks concerned:

• Freedom of association and collective bargaining (Conventions Nr. 11 & 87 & 98 & 135 & 141 & 154; Recommendations Nr. 91 & 143)
• Discrimination (Conventions Nr. 100 & 111 & 156 &159; Recommendations Nr. 165)
• Wages (Conventions Nr. 26 & 102 & 131 & 177 & 181; FAO)
• Gender Based Violence
• Working time (Conventions Nr. 1 & 101 & 110; Recommendation Nr. 110)

Supplier Details

Masihata Sweater Ltd.
South Panishail, BKSP, Kasimpur (Dakkhin Panishail, Kashimpur)
Gazipur -1704
Dhaka
1349
Bangladesh Phone
+880258956477

Supplier Website: https://www.masihata.com/masihatasweater.html

Production Site

Masihata Sweater Ltd.
Zirani Kashimpur Road
Gazipur Sadar
Dhaka
X7V6+BRH
Bangladesh

Known certifications:

Accord, Alliance, BSCI, WRAP, Öko-Tex 100, ZDHC, Partnership for Sustainable Textiles (PST)

Source of information about certifications:
https://www.masihata.com/Achivement.html
2. Source of information about certificates:
https://opensupplyhub.org/facilities/BD20190853EMPB5

Phone number of production site: +8801995655691

Total number of workers/employees:
5574

No gender specific information available.

Workers movement

There are unions active.

Name(s) of union(s) :
Masihata Sweater Workers and Employees Union, CBA (affiliated with NGWF)

National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF)

Source of information about unions:
https://ngwfbd.com

Yes, there is a workers commitee active.

Name of workers commitee: Masihata Sweater Workers and Employees Union, CBA

Business Relations

Known Buyer/Brands:

• Adler Modemärkte GmbH
• Amazon EU S.á.r.l.
• C&A Mode GmbH & Co. KG
• H&M Hennes & Mauritz B.V. & Co. KG
• INTERSPORT Deutschland eG
• Lidl Stiftung Co. KG
• NKD Group GmbH
• PVH Brands Germany GmbH (Calvin Klein)
• Tchibo GmbH
• TOM TAILOR GmbH
• Zara Deutschland GmbH

Source of information buyers: https://www.masihata.com/masihatasweater.html
2. Source of information buyers: https://opensupplyhub.org/facilities/BD20190853EMPB5

At least one of the buyers has the duty to report according to the Supply Chain Act / CSDDD.

Follow up

Sources

Name of reporting organisation: National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF)

National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) The National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) is a registered countrywide trade union federation of garment workers in Bangladesh. Collaborating with IndustrieAll, UNIGlobal Union, ACCORD and RMG Sutainability Council.

Contributor: INKOTA-netzwerk