G is from Faridpur. She came to Dhaka to work as a domestic maid. Her employers left to go abroad for a while and gave her permission to take up another day time job and maintain the house as well. She found a job as a “helperi” in a seventh floor garment factory in London Plaza, Uttara. She worked there for two months. The experience left a deep impression on her.

She has three recollections of the place. The constant swearing, her docked wages and the cruel treatment of a girl suspected of theft of a small amount of material. When she recalled the episode of the alleged theft her eyes filled up with tears. One day during her time at the factory at about 8 or 9 in the evening, a certain girl who worked near her was caught by the “checkup” person at the gate with a piece of cloth of the size of a woman’s petticoat in her bag. She was immediately accused of stealing the piece of cloth. The girl denied it vehemently and insisted it was a plant. “Justice” was summarily dispensed. She was beaten by the “line-chief” using his hands and a thin cane. She was made to stand on a table whilst all the operators and helpers stood around to watch. He proceeded to cut her long hair. She begged to be beaten and for her hair to be spared as she was married but the line chief was not in a mood to listen. He cut her long hair. He then threatened to tar her as well - using what G calls “alcatra” or pitch bitumen as used in road works. He was “persuaded” not to.

When I asked G what the other workers made of it, her answer was surprising. There was no sympathy for her. She deserved what she got was the general mood. And it got around quick that she had quarelled with her husband and that despite coming from a good family background she had come to work in the factory. Both these things counted against her. There was no solidarity amongst the workers - rumour and innuendo worked against that and of course there was no organisation to represent her interests. G also wonders about the social outcome of that day and how difficult it would have been for the girl to go back to her husband and explain her punishment.

G harbours her own grudge against the factory. She said that leaving the premises was not an easy matter. Gates were locked including the emergency ones and that you needed the management’s permission in the form of a “gate pass.” The gate pass is additional to a red card which entitles the carrier to enter and leave the premises as an employee. Once however she managed to leave the premises on an emergency with only her red card. In her rush she did not take a gate pass but did explain the situation to the guard at the door when leaving. When she returned the next day, her punishment was swift - the management docked a month’s wages. She thanks her luck that she had a place to go and sleep and food to eat.

Read the other “Stories from Dhaka”

Migrant Work in Jordan
Mirpur Garment Worker