Trade groups representing thousands of buyers in the apparel, retail, licensing, and footwear industries in the US, Canada, and Europe are appealing to the Bangladeshi government for a full investigation into the death of a labour activist and former apparel worker who was found tortured and killed outside Dhaka earlier this month.

Aminul Islam, who worked for labour rights organisation The Bangladeshi Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS), had been arrested on at least two occasions in the past two years on suspicion of fomenting worker unrest in Bangladesh's textile and apparel manufacturing sector.

Islam vanished in early April when he went to meet a worker who had called asking for help, and his "brutally tortured" body was found dumped by a roadside outside Dhaka on Thursday. Police initially buried his body, but it was exhumed and reburied in his home village after family members recognised it from newspaper photographs.

Responding to what they describe as a "deeply concerning" incident, a broad international coalition of associations has now sent the below letter to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed expressing their concern over Islam's death.

They are also urging the government to take quick action and concrete steps to respond to the situation.

"We are deeply concerned about this incident because the apparent circumstances leading up to and surrounding Mr Islam's death could be perceived to be part of a deliberate campaign to repress efforts to raise and address issues related to unsatisfactory working conditions in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector," the letter says.

The groups include the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), the National Retail Federation (NRF-US), the Norwegian Fashion Institute, the Retail Council of Canada (RCC), and the United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) .

However, they say that while Bangladesh is one of the largest suppliers of apparel to the United States, Canada, and Europe, "we are strongly committed to ethical production of consumer products in Bangladesh and everywhere around the world."

As well as comprehensive investigation into Islam's death, they want any perpetrators to be held accountable. They are also calling on the government to uphold and strengthen Bangladesh's labour laws, and expand its commitment to improve working conditions in the RMG sector.

"Our members are committed to sourcing and/or licensing consumer products in a responsible manner that respects human and worker rights," the letter warns.

Labour rights groups in the US said the BCWS had been harassed by the Bangladeshi government and apparel factory owners for the past two years, including the arrest of Islam and two of his colleagues, and the revoking of the organisation's licence to operate.