Other areas of concern were the the increasing lack of labor rights in Asia, the way governments are being forced to privatise some well-run state ventures, resulting in workers being dismissed without adequate compensation; and the trend to privatise public utilities, like the supply of water, that deny poor groups access to services.
In Bangladesh, for instance, workers at the world's largest jute mill that was forced to shut down in July were denied their promised compensation package, says Nurul Kabir, a Bangladeshi journalist.
"Over 22,000 workers were promised 2,000 U.S. dollars for one year's pay and gratuities, but they only got 200 U.S. dollars", he said.
And in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, India and Pakistan, a number of farmers and community leaders have been thrown into prison as a result of their struggles to protect their land and natural resources.
Representatives of farming communities at the conference faulted the World Bank for their plight, saying that international financial institutions' push for agriculture reform policies favored the economic elite at the expense of the rural people.
In Bangladesh, for instance, workers at the world's largest jute mill that was forced to shut down in July were denied their promised compensation package, says Nurul Kabir, a Bangladeshi journalist.
"Over 22,000 workers were promised 2,000 U.S. dollars for one year's pay and gratuities, but they only got 200 U.S. dollars", he said.
And in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, India and Pakistan, a number of farmers and community leaders have been thrown into prison as a result of their struggles to protect their land and natural resources.
Representatives of farming communities at the conference faulted the World Bank for their plight, saying that international financial institutions' push for agriculture reform policies favored the economic elite at the expense of the rural people.