The following letter of support and solidarity (see below) has been sent to:

ILO Office in Bangladesh
House No.12, Road No.12
Dhanmondi Residential Area, Dhaka 1209
Bangladesh
Tel: +880 2 911 2836
Fax: +880 2 811 4211
Email: DHAKA@ilo.org
Web: http://www.ilo.org/dhaka/lang–en/index.htm

Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh
House 7, Road 84, Gulshan 2
Dhaka 1212
Bangladesh
Tel: +880 (2) 882 4730
Fax: +880 (2) 882 3118, 988 8622
Email: delegation-bangladesh@ec.europa.eu
Web: http://www.eudelbangladesh.org/en/contacts/index.htm

ILO Campaigns // Global Campaign “Decent Work for All”
Email: decentwork@ilo.org
Web: http://www.ilo.org/global/What_we_do/Events/Campaigns/lang–en/WCMS_110337/index.htm

The Bangladesh Ministry of Labour and Employment
Md. A.K Fazlul Haque, Deputy Secretary (Admin)
M/O Labour and Employment 
Dhaka, Bangladesh 
Tel:  +88(02)7162487  
Fax:  +88(02)7168660 
Email:  info@mole.gov.bd
Web: http://www.mole.gov.bd/index.php

____________________________________________________

Friends,  

On behalf of our fans and our allies, Social Alterations would like to extend our hand and our hearts in solidarity with Bangladeshi garment workers in their struggle for a living wage, decent work conditions, and freedom of association.  We are in awe of the courage and resolve exhibited by you, the workers, in your righteous quest to tear down barriers, unmask injustice, and eventually attain your goals.  We champion your efforts to rise up from the pits of exploitation and demand your rights as Bangladeshi citizens and as human beings.  

The meager coverage of the garment worker protests during the summer of this year was deficient in context and content.  Awareness of the situation is almost non-existent, and consequently, protesting workers were left wondering whether anyone heard their pleas for change.  We want to see a positive change!  From this desire emerged The Bangladesh Project through the SA // Visual Lab with two overarching goals:

• increase awareness of the situation faced by Bangladeshi garment workers
• empower workers with a simple statement that we see you; you are not alone. 

To date, we have collected nearly 50 visual messages from individuals all over the world.  These messages are attached to this letter of solidarity and each one holds a sincere and hopeful rejection of the status quo.  Social Alterations is not in the business of campaigning unless we feel very strongly about a particular issue. This is one of those situations.  It is shameful that we allow the people who make our clothes to live in poverty.  With the seventh largest population on Earth, the textiles and apparel industry in Bangladesh employs three million people, imagine the impact of an increase in wages and freedom! 

We believe that knowledge is power and we are doing our part to spread the message to our networks.  We see you, we are witness to the injustices cast upon you, and we wholeheartedly support you! 

Bangladeshi garment workers deserve a living wage and decent work conditions.  This will help them live with dignity.  That is a basic human right.

In solidarity, with respect and sincere admiration,

The Social Alterations team, our fans and allies

Nadira Lamrad

Nadira is the co-founder of Social Alterations. She is currently completing her final year as a PhD Candidate at City University of Hong Kong.