26/10/2026
It is our firm belief that labor organizing must cross borders and be global, just like the globalization that brought many migrant workers to Denmark. Now we play a part in bringing labor organizing to them. Led by our Bangladeshi core activists in Copenhagen, we have embarked on a journey to launch a union for platform workers in Dhaka. In collaboration with Sommilito Sramik Federation-SSF we aim to create the Bangladesh Gig Workers Association (BGWA). The platform workers had their first action to engage their colleagues this Friday in the district of Gulshan, reaching more than 100 couriers. The platform workers themselves are doing the work on the ground in Dhaka while we provide funding and organizer training from Copenhagen.
Historically, labor organizing in Bangladesh and across the Global South has centered primarily on traditional industrial sectors, most notably garment and factory workers. While that struggle remains vital, the modern landscape of work is shifting rapidly. As Bangladesh’s economy experiences strong growth and digital infrastructure expands, the gig and platform economy has exploded. Today, hundreds of thousands of couriers, ride-share drivers, delivery workers, and cleaners form the quiet backbone of urban life, yet they remain unfairly compensated.
Beyond the common struggles platform workers face in Denmark - such as isolation from colleagues or unpredictable income due to 'dynamic pricing' - workers in Dhaka also face repressive structures barring them from forming unions or even speaking about their workplace in public. Operating without basic safety nets, a single road incident or sudden account deactivation can plunge a worker and their family into immediate financial crisis.
As Denmark has become the second-biggest investor per capita in the Bangladeshi economy - a footprint set to expand further with Mærsk’s massive Laldia container terminal project in Chittagong - we believe that those investments should come with demands for Danish working conditions and rights. We are determined to support them in their struggle to achieve them.
