Human and Socio-economic Insecurity of Women

Workers in RMG Industry: Bangladesh Perspective

MD.JAKARIA
SESSION 2012-13
DEPARTMENT: OF SOCIAL WELFARE
UNIVERSITY OF DHAKA

Introduction
At independence in 1971, most observers of the newly emerged country took a pessimistic
view about the developmental prospect of Bangladesh. Many thought that the country would
remain permanently locked in a below poverty level equilibrium trap. Although there is
little room for complacency Bangladesh has come a long way from there. About two-fifths of
the economy is now connected with the global economy through exports, imports, and
factory and commodity markets.
The export-oriented readymade garments (RMG) sector in Bangladesh started its journey in
late 1970s as a small non-traditional sector of export. Bangladesh exports 35 types of garment
products to about 31 countries around the world. The RMG sector is a 100% export-oriented
industry. There are now approximately 4,825 garment factories in Bangladesh employing
over three million people. Fully 85% of these workers are women. But there is no proper
human and socio-economic security system for women workers in RMG Industry.
The garment industry of Bangladesh has been the key export division and a main source of
foreign exchange for the last 25 years. National labor laws do not apply in the EPZs, leaving
BEPZA in full control over work conditions, wages and benefits. Garment factories in
Bangladesh provide employment to 40 percent of industrial workers.

Historical background of the RMG Industry in Bangladesh

Once the cloth of Bangladesh achieved worldwide fame specially Muslim and jamdani cloth
or our country was used as the luxurious garments of the royal figures in Europe and other
countries. The British rulers in India didnt develop our cloth industries at all. Rather they
destroyed them and imported cloths from England. Garment Industry Large-scale production
of readymade garments (RMG) in organized factories is a relatively new phenomenon in
Bangladesh. Until early sixties, individual tailors made garments as per specifications
provided by individual customers who supplied the fabrics. The domestic market for
readymade garment, excepting children wears and men's knit underwear was virtually nonexistent in Bangladesh until the sixties

Since the late 1970s, the RMG industry started developing in Bangladesh primarily as an
export-oriented industry although; the domestic market for RMG has been increasing fast due
to increase in personal disposable income and change in life style. The sector rapidly attained
high importance in terms of employment, foreign exchange earnings and its contribution to
GDP.
Most importantly, the growth of RMG sector produced a group of entrepreneurs who have
created a strong private sector. Of these entrepreneurs, a sizeable number is female. A woman
entrepreneur established one of the oldest export-oriented garment factories, the Baishakhi
Garment in 1977. Many women hold top executive positions in RMG industry. The hundred
percent export-oriented RMG industry experienced phenomenal growth during the last 15 or
so years. In 1978, there were only 9 export-oriented garment manufacturing units, which
generated export earnings of hardly one million dollar. Some of these units were very small
and produced garments for both domestic and export markets. Four such small and old units
were1. Reaz Garments;
2. Paris Garments;
3. Jewel Garments and
4. Baishakhi Garments.
Reaz Garments, the pioneer, was established in 1960 as a small tailoring outfit, named Reaz
Store in Dhaka. It served only domestic markets for about 15 years. In 1973 it changed its
name to M/s Reaz Garments Ltd. and expanded its operations into export market by selling
10,000 pieces of men's shirts worth French Franc 13 million to a Paris-based firm in 1978. It
was the first direct exporter of garments from Bangladesh. Desh Garments Ltd, the first nonequity joint-venture in the garment industry was established in 1979. Desh had technical and
marketing collaboration with Daewoo Corporation of South Korea. It was also the first
hundred percent export-oriented company. It had about 120 operators including 3 women
trained in South Korea, and with these trained workers it started its production in early 1980.
Another South Korean Firm, Youngones Corporation formed the first equity joint-venture
garment factory with a Bangladeshi firm, Trexim Ltd. in 1980. Bangladeshi partners
contributed 51% of the equity of the new firm, named Youngones Bangladesh. It exported its

first consignment of padded and non-padded jackets to Sweden in December 1980.

Till the end of 1982, there were only 47 garment manufacturing units. The breakthrough
occurred in 1984-85, when the number of garment factories increased to 587. The number of
RMG factories shot up to around 2,900 in 1999. Bangladesh is now one of the 12 th largest
apparel exporters of the world, the sixth largest supplier in the US market and the fifth largest
supplier of T-shirts in the EU market. The industry has grown during the 1990s roughly at the
rate of 22%. The growth of the industry in terms of number of units and employment
generation is shown in table 1 below:

Year
1983-84
1988-89
1993-94
1998-99
2003-04
2008-09
At present

Number
Industries
134
759
1839
2963
3957
4825
5600

of

Garment Employment
Workers
0.040
0.317
0.827
1.500
2.000
3.100
3.900

in

Million

Table1: Growth of the industry and Employment:

Source: BGMEA
At present there are about 5600 garment industries in the country and 75 percent of them are
in Dhaka. The rest are in Chittagong and Khulna. These Industries have employed fifty lacks
of people and 85 percent of them are illiterate rural women. About 76 percent of our export
earning comes from this sector.
The country's RMG sector, to a creditable level has relieved Bangladesh from over populous
unemployment burden through providing the largest employment next to agriculture,
transport, and trade and industry sector. This sector has uplifted the neglected section of the
population, thus radically transforming the socio-economic condition of the country. Such
empowerment and employment raised awareness regarding children education, health safety,
population control, disaster management only so for. It is an epoch making event in the
history of Bangladesh.

Present Situation of RMG Sector in Bangladesh

The Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry occupies a unique position in the Bangladesh
economy. It is the largest exporting industry in Bangladesh, which experienced phenomenal
growth during the last 25 years. But in resent time country has lost its goodwill. Foreign
direct investment leapt from a mere $2.4 million in 1986 to more than $1,000 million in
2008.

Position as an exporter
Bangladesh is the second largest exporter of readymade garment products trailing China

according to the McKinsey report (2011). Bangladesh is now one of the 12th largest apparel
exporters of the world, the sixth largest supplier in the US market and the fifth largest
supplier of T-shirts in the EU market. At present there are about 5600 garment industries in
the country and 75 percent of them are in Dhaka. The rest are in Chittagong and Khulna.
These Industries have employed fifty lacks of people and about 85 percent of them are
illiterate rural women. About 76 percent of our export earning comes from this sector.
Bangladeshs garment exports during July-June 2012-13 period climbed by about 12.7
percent to US$ 21.515 billion over exports of US$ 19.089 billion made during the
corresponding period of 2011-12. In 2012-13, the top three export destinations for
Bangladesh garments were Europe, which accounted for US$ 12.56 billion, followed by the
US and Canada, which accounted for US$ 4.99 billion and US$ 980 million, respectively.
But now it has received bad news.

Source: World Trade Organization

Stopping GSP
As a result of the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory building, the President Barak
Osama-led US government in June in 2013 suspended Bangladesh from the Generalized

System of Preferences (GSP), which allows duty-free entry of over 5000 goods to the US
market from least developed countries.
Now, RMG products (which make up most of the US import from Bangladesh) are not
included in the list of duty-free products in GSP, there will an export fall of about $40
million. At present, Bangladesh exports about $5 billion worth of goods (mostly RMG
products) to the USA every year and hence, the suspension from US GSP will account for a
fall in export of about 0.8%.
In December, the European Parliament has threatened to withdraw GSP, the duty and quotafree access to EU market that Bangladesh enjoys. The European Union buys more than $12
billion in Bangladeshi garments each year, or roughly three-fifths of the countrys production.
If the EU were to withdraw or suspend the facility, the price per unit of garment will rise and

this may lead to many European buyers turning their backs on our products. So, Bangladesh
would suffer a huge setback.
Losing the GSP facility will cost Bangladesh millions of dollars in taxes. It is also influence
the European Union to take similar action, which would have a much bigger impact on
Bangladesh and its garment sector.

Garment Disaster
More than 276 factories have faced incidence since 1990. Most of the industries were lost
because of fire, labor unrest and political unrest. Recent incidents like fire in the Tazreen
Fashions factory in November, 2012 that killed more than 110 and the collapse of the Rana
Plaza garment factory building in April, 2013 that killed over 1,100 people and more than
2,500 were injured in the disaster. It may be the second biggest industrial accident in recent
history. Some women of Toba garment are injured by the clashes with police after the
demand of salary and bonuses in recent time.

Labor Unrest
In August, in 2013 Garment factory workers clashed demanding a Tk 8,000 minimum
monthly wage. Many factories closed for clashing. The owners finally agreed to pay Tk 5,300
as prescribed by a government-endorsed wage board on Nov 4 in same year.
In November, 18,800 people lost their work for fire in Standard Group. The factory was
among the ten biggest in the country and it was the biggest supplier of Gap in Bangladesh.
The loss to the firm could run into more than US$100-million.

Political Unrest
Due to the recent political unrest, Bangladesh RMG sector losses in billions of taka every
day. The blockades have put the garment sector in a tight corner as exporters are counting
losses from order cancellation and rising transport costs.
Buyers are cancelling orders as exporters fail to meet the lead time due to transport crisis.
Some buyers are also imposing penalties in case of delayed shipment, cutting prices of
garment products and transport costs have surged by around 30 percent due to expensive air
shipment. Many factories have halted production as they cant bring imported raw materials
from ports.
The BGMEAs research and development team has collected three-day data (December 1-3)
from 10 exporters to assess the overall losses caused by the blockade. Orders worth $3.96
lakh were cancelled during the period, while the exporters spent $3.08 lakh on air shipment.
Many small factory owners may go bankrupt due to failing shipment on time. So thats the
trap: the golden goose is caught between a rock and a hard.

Concept of Human and Socio-economic insecurity

Human and Socio-economic insecurity means lack of security in some sector that hampers
humanity, social status and economic status. By this insecurity a person cannot lead his or her
life in proper way that causes inhumanity, social deprivation and economic discrimination. In
Bangladesh, most of the women workers of garment industry are unsecured in that sector.
According to Department of Economic and Social Affairs of UN-

In rich and poor countries alike, economic security is under threat. Sixty year ago, the
universal declaration of human rights affirmed that everyone should have access to a standard
of living adequate for their health and well-being, including food, clothing, housing, and
medical care and necessary social services and the right to security in the event of
unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in
circumstances beyond his control.
According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Human security is an emerging paradigm for understanding global vulnerabilities whose
proponents challenge the traditional notion of national security by arguing that the proper
referent for security should be the individual rather than the state. Human security holds that
a people-centered view of security is necessary for national, regional, and global stability. It
can be defined as freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom from food security.
Absence of this satisfaction is called human insecurity

Women in RMG Industry in Bangladesh

The export-oriented readymade garments (RMG) sector in Bangladesh started its journey in
late 1970s as a small non-traditional sector of export. Bangladesh exports 35 types of garment
products to about 31 countries around the world. There are now approximately 4,825 garment
factories in Bangladesh employing over 30, 00,000 (three million) people. Fully 85% of these
workers are women. But there is no human and socio-economic security of women workers
in RMG industry. They are discriminated in every step in their working life. So, they face
many problems like job insecurity, sexual harassment, communication problems, housing
problems, social problems, affected by diseases etcetera.

Various types of problems:

Type of problems
Job insecurity
Sexual harassment
Bad behavior of the co-workers
Communication problem
Housing problem
Attack by mastans
Attack by touts
Harassed by police

Source: Field survey, 2008.

Number of respondents

Percent

54
2
62
89
79
67
68
6

60.0
2.2
68.9
68.9
87.8
74.4
75.6
6.7

Types of diseases:
Type of diseases and illnesses

Number of respondents

Percentage

63
34
30
33
19
15
29
24
25
14
29
42
14
26

70.0
37.8
33.3
36.7
21.1
16.7
32.2
26.7
27.8
15.6
32.2
46.7
15.6
28.9

Headache
Musculoskeletal pain
Ear ache
Physical weakness
Eye pain
Less appetite
Chest pain
Fainting
Diarrhoea
Jaundice
Skin disease
Gastritis
Typhoid
Others

Source: Field survey, 2008

Various Insecurities of Women Workers

Among the RMG workers About 85% are rural women workers. But there are absence of
completely security system women in this sector. There are some insecurity of women
workers in the RMG sectors in Bangladesh like-

Womens Occupational Hazards and Safety

Fire at Tazreen Garment Factory has caused death to 112 garment workers and the collapse
of Rana Plaza to over 1000. These reveal the bizarre working conditions in Garment factories
of Bangladesh. Apparently, their safety is nobodys concern. Neither the apparel retailers nor
the factory owners take proper measures to ensure that such untoward incidences do not
occur at their factories. But in spite of all these loopholes in this sector, and that cheap labor
is the main driver of the sectors growth, it is also fair to say that this growth has provided
economic opportunities to millions of women who would have very few other options to
escape extreme poverty. The garment sector, despite an extremely-low paying industry, has
positively transformed the lives of many women in Bangladesh by providing economic

empowerment. It is most important at this moment to ensure a safe working environment for
the women workers where they can exercise their rights fully and satisfactorily.

Poor accommodation facilities

As most of the garment workers come from the poor family and comes from the remote areas
and they have to attend to the duties on time, these workers have to hire a room near the
factory where four to five huddle in a room and spend life in sub human condition.
For four to five workers there is one common latrine and a kitchen for which they have to pay
from Tk=2000 to Tk=2500/- per month. They share this amount among themselves to
minimize the accommodation expense.
One cannot believe their eyes in what horrible condition they have to pass out their time after
almost whole day of hard work in the factory. After laborious job they come into their roost,
cook their food and have their dinner or lunch in unhygienic floor or bed and sleep where
they take their food. They share the single bed or sleep on the floor. The owners of these
factories must not treat the workers as animals. The owners of these factories who drive the
most luxurious car and live in most luxurious house do ever think that these are the workers
who have made their living so juicy. Will these selfish owners ever think of these workers of
their better living for the sake of humanity by providing better accommodation for these
workers in addition to providing with the job

Improper working environment

Taking the advantages of workers' poverty and ignorance the owners forced them to work in
unsafe and unhealthy work place overcrowded with workers beyond capacity of the factory
floor and improper ventilation. Most of the garment factories in our country lack the basic
amenities where our garment workers sweat their brows from morning to night to earn our
countries the major portion of our foreign exchange. Anybody visiting the factory the first
impression he or she will have that these workers are in a roost. Improper ventilation, stuffy
situation, filthy rooms are the characteristics of the majority of our factories. The owners
profit are the first priority and this attitude has gone to such an extent that they do not care
about their lives.

Maternity rights denied

The garments workers have no maternal leave. So they are not able to face many problems
in the pregnancy period. After born the child they also face many other problems. As results,
mother and child both are sufferings in many critical situations like malnutrition.

Human Rights abuse

There is no human right for garment workers as well as women workers. In 1948, 10
December, some rights were written for workers by the United Nation that is called Universal
Declaration of Human rights. In present world Human Rights also exist as well as in
Bangladesh. But majority of the portions are neglected in case of women worker in our
country.

Condition of Women Garment Workers in Social-political sectors

Women garment workers are also disadvantaged socially and politically. As for example,
they face problem in the areas of accommodation, transport, and access to health treatment.
Most of them are living in the urban slums and they have no access to government social
protection measures like VGD and VGF cards in rural areas. They also have no right to form
labor/trade union and therefore politically they have no power and voice to bargain with the
factory owners. Existing situation also deter them from getting involved in any right based
activities for their well being.

Gendered division of labor

In the garment industry in Bangladesh, tasks are allocated largely on the basis of gender. This
determines many of the working conditions of women workers. All the workers in the sewing
section are women, while almost all those in the cutting, ironing and finishing sections are
men. Women workers are absorbed in a variety of occupations from cutting, sewing, inserting
buttons, making button holes, checking, cleaning the threads, ironing, folding, packing and
training to supervising.
Women work mainly as helpers, machinists and less frequently, as line supervisors and
quality controllers. There are a few female cutting masters. Men dominate the administrative
and management level jobs. Women are discriminated against in terms of access to higherpaid white collar and management positions. When asked why they prefer to employ women
foe sewing, the owner and managers gave several reasons. Most felt that sewing is
traditionally done by women and that women are more patient and more controllable than
men.

Safety Problems
Because of the carelessness of the factory management and for their arrogance factory doors
used to be kept locked for security reason defying labor act
Safety need for the worker is mandatory to maintain in all the organization. But without the
facility of this necessary product a lot of accident is occur incurred every year in most of the
company. Some important cause of the accident are given below Routes are blocked by storage materials
Machine layout is often staggered
Lack of signage for escape rout

No provision for emergency lighting

Doors, opening along escape routes, are not fire resistant
Doors are not self-closing and often do not open along the direction of escape
Adequate doors as well as adequate staircases are not provided to aid quick exit
Fire exit or emergency staircase lacks proper maintenance
Lack of proper exit route to reach the place of safety
Parked vehicles, goods and rubbish on the outside of the building obstruct exits to the
open air
Fire in a Bangladesh factory is likely to spread quickly because the principle of
compartmentalization is practiced.

Sexual Harassments
Sexual harassment at work place as well as garment industry can have very serious
consequences both for the harassed individual as well as for other working women who
experience it secondhand.
The consequences to the individual employee can be many and serious. In other situations,
the unwelcome sexual conduct of co-workers makes the working conditions hostile and
unpleasant- putting indirect pressure on her to leave the job. Sometimes, the employee is so
traumatized by the harassment that she suffers serious emotional and physical
consequencesand very often, becomes unable to perform her job properly. According
to data complied by Equal Rights Advocates, a womens law center in the U.S., 90 to 95% of
sexually harassed women suffer from some debilitating stress reaction, including anxiety,
depression, headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, nausea, lowered self-esteem and
sexual dysfunction.

Out breaking of Infection diseases

Work in the garment factory severely affects womens health, as they are confined in a small
factory. Moreover, the hot and humid climate of Bangladesh makes the environment of these
small factory buildings unhygienic and this condition is largely responsible for widespread
prevalence of some illness and diseases among the garment workers. Prolonged standing is
also common in the garment factory. In the finishing section of the factory, the ironer
category workers have to keep standing up throughout their work period. The case is similar
with the folder category workers. The helper category workers in the sewing section also
have to work standing up for a long time. According to occupational physicians, low back
pain, sore feet, varicose veins, swelling in the legs, general muscular fatigue and other health
problems have been associated with prolonged standing (Carson, 1994). Results of the study
showed that the most frequent illness reported by 70 percent female workers was headache.
Gastritis was more prevalent among the female workers. About 47 percent suffered from
gastritis problem. In general, 36.7 percent workers suffered from some kind of weakness.
This occurred due to long hours of work and low quality of food that they took for lunch.

Negative Attitude to the Garment Workers

Condition of Women in Income and Economic sectors

As has been said earlier, women are poorly paid in this sector. As a result of sustained
campaigning by women workers, women rights and human rights activists and other trade

unionists in Bangladesh, the minimum wage for garment workers was raised in 2010 for the
first time in four years and 5300 taka have raised per month from 2013 . Sometimes, receipt
of wages in the garment industry depends on meeting an assigned production target. That
amount is inadequate in meeting the minimum living standards in the urban areas. Besides
the above, they get no other benefits or festival allowances.

Wages Discrimination
The government of Bangladesh sets minimum wages for various categories of workers.
According of Minimum Wage Ordinance 1994, apprentices helpers are to receive Tk500 and
Tk930 per month respectively. Apprentices are helpers who have been working in the
garment industry for less than three months. After three months, Apprentices are appointed as
helpers. Often female helpers are discriminated against in terms of wages levels, and these
wages are also often fixed far below the minimum wage rate. A survey conducted by ILO, 1
December, 2013 showed that monthly minimum wages (or lowest relevant rate) in the
garment industry apparel-exporting countries, in us dollar

Source: ILO, 1 December, 2013

Unit labor cost

Bangladesh has the cheapest unit labor cost in South Asia. It costs only 11 cents to produce a
shirt in Bangladesh, whereas it costs 79 cents in Sri Lanka and 26 cents in India. Clearly,
Bangladeshs comparative advantage lies in having the cheapest unit labor cost.
Country
China
Pakistan
India
Vietnam
Sri Lanka
Bangladesh

Wage per Month $

300
116
106
92
92
25

Wage per Hour $

1.44
0.56
0.51
0.44
0.44
0.25

Legal and administrative action to address these problems

Various administrative actions have already been taken to reduce the human and socioeconomic insecurity of women in Bangladesh. They are as followsA) Establishment of Bangladesh Labor Welfare Foundation in 2006
It focuses on
1. Workers welfare and development.
2. Workers welfare and training.
3. Legal support for the workers.
4. Rehabilitation and support service.
[www.blf-bd.org]
B) Bangladesh Minimum Wages Board- established in1959.
Its main functions are:
1. To collect data from different units of the concerned industry.
2. To visit different units of the concerned industry to assess their working condition
and the condition of the workers.
3. To interview both the workers and the employers.
4. To prepare satisfaction on the basis of the above data.
[www.mwb.gov.bd]
C) The Department of the Labor
Its main functions are:
1. Facilitation of effective labor management relations.
2. Collective bargaining and negotiation.
3. Ensuring prompt efficient settlement of labor disputes.

[http://dol.gov.bd]
D) Department of Inspection for Factories and establishments is a department under the
ministry of labor and employment its functions are:
1. Ensuring welfare, safety and health of the workers.
2. Creating a safe and healthy work culture
3. Improving the quality of the wage earners.
4. Providing legal information and advice to the workers.
5. Enhancing occupational safety and health for all workers by appropriate working
conditions and environment.
6. Who working for ensuring the human and socio- economic security for women
workers in the RMG sectors.
[www.dife.gov.bd]
Beside BGMEA, BKMEA, Labor appellate tribunal.

Social Work Intervention

Historically, occupational social work has served a variety of functions in business and
industry. Social workers have affected the work place in ways other than providing social
services to employees and their families. So, as a social worker we need to help owner, to
aware the worker, to pressure create the government organization and non government
organization for the purpose development of the RMG industry.

To help in building and fire safety assessment

As a social worker we can help the government in making building and fire safety
assessment. In line with the commitments made by the Tripartite Partners, the programme
will provide support in terms of technical expertise, coordinate agreements and provide
necessary equipment to complete the assessments of all active RMG factories in Bangladesh
and recommend remedial action.
Requirement of safety measures for buildings.
Requirement of precaution against fire and explosions.
Requirement of precautions against dangerous fumes.
Requirement for making available adequate first-aid facilities.

Strengthen Labor Inspection and Support Fire and Building Inspection

Support the government of Bangladesh through legislative & policy formulation for fire,
building and factory inspection to significantly improve the capacity of its inspection
systems, provide training and create gender awareness among the labor inspectors.

Rehabilitation and skills training

Rehabilitation is important issue for garment workers specially women who sustained injuries
in different tragic events that is very indispensible work for social workers. As a social
worker we should also trained some workers for their skills development.

Occupational safety awareness

Social worker may help in capacity building of workers, supervisors and managers in the
RMG sector to improve the safety of their workplaces including the prevention of violence at
workplace.

Standard workplace for workers

There is no standard workplace in garment industry in Bangladesh. So social worker can
suggest the owner to ensure the standard situation and good environment in the workplace.

To ensure national unity

As a social worker we should make ensure conducive industrial relation especially between
owner and workers. To arrange these activities, we can get help from the governmental and
non- governmental organization. By this way we will resolve those problems that are related
to RMG industry.

To remove political instability

In our society, political instability increase day by day. By decreasing political instability
social worker can remove the basic problem of that are related to RMG industry. Besides
these, social workers can also played their role in the following way:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Integrating new groups of inexperienced workers.

Consulting with RMG owner on how to increase diversity in the workplace.
Strengthening relationships between the corporate world and the community.
In organizational development through redesign of work to make the workplace.
To expertise in working with trouble individual and family.

6. Social workers also are trained in the art of effective communication and negotiation,
skill that lend themselves well to advocating for employee needs or working to
improve condition with a workplace and increase the understanding between
employees and employers.
7. Advocacy or lobbying for implementing the labor law for the welfare of the workers.
8. Addressing issues such as violence in the workplace.
9. Collaboration with others to identify and address issues of workplace health and
safety.
10. Assisting workers in accessing vocational and educational opportunities.

Conclusion
The Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry occupies a unique position in the Bangladesh
economy. But now-a-days that good will is absent here. It is the largest exporting industry in
Bangladesh. It is already mentioned that which experienced phenomenal growth during the
last 25 years. But foreign direct investment leapt from a mere $2.4 million in 1986 to more
than $1,000 million in 2008. We may go back previous situation by ensuring a safe and
secure working environment as the fundamental right of the garment workers especially
female workers. From the international human rights instruments to our domestic laws
workers rights are protected but in our country due to lack of the enforcement mechanisms
and unwillingness of some people these problems remain unsolved. The study revealed some
of the aspects of existing situation of occupational safety and health in Bangladesh. The
constitution of Bangladesh recognizes productivity as basic need for development and covers
right to work and reasonable wages, Medicare and, disease and disablement. This
constitutional policy direction did not turned into a formal national occupational health and
safety policy.

References
1. www.dife.gov.bd
2. bgmea.com.bd
3. http://textilebulletin.com/present-situation-rmg-sector-bangladesh-2013/
4. www.ilo.com
5. www.blf-bd.org
6. www.mwb.gov.bd
7. en.wikipedia.org/.../Bangladeshi
8. http://www.scribd.com/doc/14270128/Problems-and-Prospect-of-Garments-Industryin-Bangladesh-and-the-Supportive-Policy-Regime-Current-State-of-Affairs
9. dol.gov.bd

10. human security report of UN

11. Rosefi Ambresino; Social Work and Social Welfare chapter- 16
12. http://www.slideshare.net/rakib41/rmg-sector-past-present-future
13. www.boi.gov.bd/.../garments
14. www.bpedia.com
15. http://www.conveylive.com/a/Problems_Of_Read_Made_Garments_Sector_In_Bangl
adesh