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Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don’t have a verifiable source on file yet. Know one?
What happened
The Al Shahaed Apparel and Textile company, which supplies garments for Walmart and Kohls, trafficked 115 workers from Bangladesh to work in its factory. The workers were recruited through a contractor in Bangladesh, called Golden View International. In order to pay for their expensive three year contracts of 90,000 to 200,000 taka, or $1,327 to $2,950, the workers had to borrow money where the interest rate is 5% per month. The workers were promised to earn at least $120 a month and that food, lodging, and health care would be free, none of which turned out to be true. Upon arrival their passports were confiscated. If the workers left the factory without their proper identification, they ran the risk of being caught by the police and deported. The workers worked between 38-72 hours per week, where paid 2 cents per hour. The minimum shift was `15 hours with sometimes only 3 hours between shifts. The factory owner hired gang members to terrorize the workers by beating them if they were not concentrating on their work. All 115 Bangladeshi guest workers were housed in one small four room building, located in an isolated area, about five miles from the Al Hassan Industrial Estate. There was no heating and water was available only every third day. 115 men had to share only 6 toilets. The food was insufficient, the portions were poor, and often made the workers sick. There was no public transportation and the workers would have to walk five miles to make a phone call home to their families in Bangladesh.
Response and intervention
The workers sought the help of the Bangladeshi Embassy, the police, and the labor court, but nothing was done. The workers suspect the government agencies were corrupt and bought off. Since then the factory has relocated (during 2005) and changed its name. No one. When 91 workers demanded their back wages, they were sent back to Bangladesh. National Labor Committee began investigation. Executive director of the NLC, Charles Kernaghan visited Jordan and exposed this case.