Women workers of ready made garments (RMG) sector in Bangladesh: a comparative study on their working condition and grievances

Abstract

Readymade Garments Industry is the most important manufacturing sector for Bangladesh at present. It is contributing to our economy in a big way. This sector is bringing in a huge amount of foreign exchange earnings to us to the tune of $ 10 billion dollar annually and with an increasing trend. It is also providing jobs to millions of impoverished female workers who did not have much to do in the past. As seen by this study it is not only providing the millions of female workers a source of livelihood; it is also allowing them to have the options of not getting married early and thus helping to reduce the fertility rate and easing the population pressure to the country. It has been observed in the study that the average family size is little less among the female workers compared to the national scenario. The study further brings to light the hard conditions of the work life of the female workers and the extent of sufferings they undergo with little sign of amelioration. Despite the compliance formalities followed by few big factories overall socio-economic condition of the female workers are far from satisfactory.