A Study on Labour Rights for Women in Readymade Garment Industries of Bangladesh

Abstract

The RMG sector in Bangladesh is a critical contributor to the national economy; it represents about 11% of the country‘s GDP and encompasses about 84% of the revenues from exports. This industry employs approximately four million workers, out of which 60-65% are women. Though these women drive this success story, they are burdened with innumerable challenges regarding labour rights, including wage disparity, unsafe working conditions, and GBV. This research assesses the labour rights of women workers in Bangladesh's RMG sector, specifically their working conditions, wages, safety, and access to legal protection. In this study, the labour rights problems faced by women in the RMG sector were investigated using mixed-methods research, in which both quantitative and qualitative techniques were combined to give a comprehensive view. Conducted between November 2024 and February 2025, data from a total of 375 female workers were collected using structured questionnaires, which gathered information on working conditions, wages, safety, and job satisfaction across five RMG factories in Savar and Gazipur, two major industrial hubs in Bangladesh. Qualitative insights complemented the quantitative data obtained from 20 in-depth interviews and 4 FGDs with key stakeholders such as female workers, factory managers, union representatives, and labour rights activists. The integration of these methods allowed the study to capture not only the statistical trends but also the personal experiences of the workers, better understanding the challenges they face. The study is intended to unravel the nexus between economic empowerment and labour rights, as well as identify the impediments facing women workers in realizing their full labour rights in the workplace. One of the key findings from this study reveals that there is still a persistent gender pay gap issue in the RMG sector. While women comprise the majority of the workforce, 78% of female workers receive wages below a living wage. Further, there is a 20% gender pay gap at the managerial level of employment, where men have higher-paying jobs in management, while women hold lower-paid manual labour positions like sewing machine operator and helper. The existing wage gaps prove there is discrimination against women, who get paid less for the same work than men. Another urgent issue is workplace safety. In spite of the regulations concerning fire drills and the implementation of other safety measures, 65% of the probed factories did not hold fire drills as legally demanded, leaving workers vi particularly vulnerable in case of an emergency. Secondly, 85% of women workers reported feeling unsafe in their workplace due to poor safety features such as bad fire exits, poor ventilation, and an absence of protection gear. These conditions have continued to raise great concern, especially following the devastating fall of Rana Plaza in 2013, exposing failures in the safety legislation in this industry. Union representation is weak, with only 5% of workers unionized, and fewer than 10% of the leadership positions are held by women. The consequence of such underrepresentation greatly reduces the extent to which female workers are able to assert their rights for better wages, improved safety conditions, and freedom from discrimination. The study found that significant cultural and institutional barriers exist for women joining unions, with many fearing retaliations by factory management or dismissal from their jobs. The RMG sector is filled with various cases of gender-based violence. In the study, it was reported that 90% of the female workers had faced some kind of harassment, which included verbal, physical, or sexual harassment. However, the same percentage, 82%, never received a solution because of the weak grievance mechanisms and fear of retaliation. The inefficiency in policies and mechanisms for addressing harassment issues in workplaces has led to the persistence of such violations, making the environment inappropriate and insecure for females. Although the Bangladesh Labour Act guarantees maternity benefits, many of the women workers are not receiving any such benefits despite legal protections granted within the amended version of 2006, revised in 2018. The study revealed large numbers of women either being refused maternity leave or forced into resignation during pregnancy, which leaves many workers bereft of income and job security during this very critical period. On top of this, the absence of childcare facilities at the workplace exacerbates women's challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities. It also investigated the awareness of labour rights among women workers. Most women had very little knowledge of their rights as stated in the national laws on labour and international conventions. Some workers had general information about their rights, though a significant proportion did not have substantial details about certain provisions, such as about wages, hours of work, and even maternity leave. Indeed, this lack of awareness is what further exacerbates their inability to claim these rights and access legal remedies when violations occur. The study has put forward a number of recommendations to enhance the labour rights for women workers in Bangladesh's RMG sector: The government should develop more vii comprehensive strategies for enforcement of existing labour legislation, including wages, workplace safety, and gender-based violence. Implementation of the Bangladesh Labour Act should go hand in hand with accountability for non-compliance at factories. Effective implementation needs to be matched with strengthening regular inspections through the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, in order to ensure that not only are safety standards upheld, but workers' rights are better protected as well. The study advocates for gender-sensitive workplace policies regarding paid menstrual leaves, maternity benefits, and increasing childcare support. It would make work more accommodating and help women balance work and family responsibilities. Affordable childcare and paid menstrual leaves would reduce the stigma associated with reproductive health and enable women to be more active participants in the workforce. Improvement in labor rights therefore requires increased women's participation in unions and their leadership. The study suggests that the unions actively involve women, conduct labor rights training, and union leadership training. This would equip the female workers with the capacity to advance their rights. The research study requires safety measures to be put in place, including compulsory fire drills and adequate emergency exits. Training workers on safety procedures and enforcing minimum standards of safety in factories will reduce the frequency of accidents and promote a more favorable working environment. The government should allocate adequate resources to increase factory inspections and prosecute non-complying industries. There is an urgent need to spread awareness on labour rights among the women workers. The NGOs, trade unions, and civil society organizations should actively inform the workers about their rights under the Bangladesh Labour Act and international conventions and enable them to seek justice when necessary. The international buyers must take increasing responsibility for ensuring that their suppliers in Bangladesh maintain ethical standards in labor practices. Imposing strict codes of conduct can be useful for global brands in making factories follow labor laws regarding gender equality, safety, and fair wages. This needs cooperation with local stakeholders for long-term improvement in the industry. This research evidences the critical role that women workers play in Bangladesh's RMG sector and points out a range of barriers to securing their labour rights. While the sector has opened economic opportunities for women, these gains are being eroded by systemic exploitation, poor working conditions, and weak enforcement of labour laws. For truly sustainable and inclusive growth, strong labour regulations with viii strict enforcement, better safety standards, union leadership by women, and gender equity at workplaces will have to be ensured in the Bangladesh RMG sector. By taking on these challenges, the industry will engender a more just and equitable environment for the millions of women who contribute to its success.