1. Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Government Brojomohun College, Barishal, Bangladesh.

* Correspondence: nusratshukhi955@gmail.com

Keywords: RMG, Gender, Feminism, RMG sector, garment workers, Bangladesh

1. INTRODUCTION

Bangladesh’s Readymade Garment (RMG) industry has emerged as a cornerstone of its economy, becoming the largest industrial sector and a primary source of foreign currency [1]. Since its inception in the late 1970s, the sector has burgeoned to include 4,536 factories, employing millions, predominantly unskilled and less-educated poor women who constitute over 80% of the workforce [2]. From its first foreign currency earnings in 1976 and exports of $31.57 million in 1983-84, the industry’s growth has been immense, reaching $2449.8 million in 2013-2014, following its declaration as a “thrust sector” by the government in 1992. Despite Bangladesh’s standing as the world’s second-largest clothing exporter, this rapid growth has come at a severe human cost [3]. RMG workers, especially women from underprivileged backgrounds, face egregious working conditions. Issues include excessively long hours, paltry wages, inadequate medical facilities, forced overtime, and a shocking lack of access to basic amenities like toilets. Beyond the workplace, they are subjected to physical, mental, and sexual harassment, domestic violence, and threats during their commutes [4]. The Savar area in Dhaka is particularly notorious for accidents and unsafe conditions. Despite these hardships, a surprising 56.7% of RMG workers express satisfaction with their jobs, underscoring the urgent need for in-depth studies into their vulnerabilities and the sociological factors at play. The inhumane conditions within the RMG sector are deeply rooted in capitalist exploitation and the global shift from agrarian to industrialized societies [5]. Driven by the pursuit of cheap labor and lower production costs, this neoliberal framework prioritizes profit over human well-being, leading to significant inequality and insecurity [6]. The expansion of the export-oriented RMG sector has feminized the workforce, pushing poor women into temporary, low-wage positions where they are often over-exploited by multinational corporations. Feminist theories and the capability approach, particularly as articulated by Amartya Sen and Martha C. Nussbaum, offer crucial lenses to understand these injustices [7]. Feminism critiques capitalism’s inherent patriarchal practices that exploit women, viewing their subjugation as integral to the accumulation of capital. Nussbaum’s ten core capabilities – including life, bodily health, bodily integrity, and control over one’s environment – highlight the severe deficits faced by Bangladeshi RMG workers. They lack fundamental security in these areas, limiting their opportunities and perpetuating their vulnerability [8]. Addressing these systemic issues requires a profound shift towards prioritizing human dignity and ensuring these core capabilities for all workers, promoting a more equitable global economy [9].

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study aimed to outline the process of data gathering, analysis, and interpretation as well as how it was conducted throughout many phases of the study endeavor. This chapter addresses ethical concerns, reliability and validity, data collecting method, fieldwork strategy, and sampling. Usually, study technique is the process of developing knowledge. Methodology is a collection of guidelines and laws used to examine a study issue as phenomenon. Study objectives and methods vary with various study issues. The kind of study issue and study objectives drive the choice of study approach. Research methods include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods [10]. Claims methodology is a theory guiding investigation. It entails examining the assumptions, concepts, and processes in a certain approach to inquiry that governs the use of particular techniques. It employs both qualitative and quantitative study techniques. Qualitative study is the gathering and analysis of narrative data; quantitative techniques are used to obtain quantitative data or information relating to numbers and everything that can be quantified [11]. A mixed methods strategy is one in which the researchers prefers to base knowledge claims on pragmatic grounds (e.g. consequence orientated, issue, centered and pherealistic). It uses techniques either concurrently or sequentially to best collection also includes collecting both numeric data (e.g. instrumentally) as well as text data e.g. on interviews) so that the final database reflects both quantitative and qualitative information [12]. This study comprised both quantitative and qualitative technique usually referred to as mixed method. I have selected mixed technique for this study as it guarantees a more whole image of human behavior and experiences. The character of my study issue fits selecting hybrid approach. Drawing conclusions regarding the issue under this kind of study is very beneficial. The current study has been carried out in Savar region. Savar has almost 106 factories. Industrial events like as fire, building collapse, and labor unrest are regular and more often in Savar region than in other parts of the nation. For this reason, I have selected Savar region. For this study, I have selected 40 male and 80 female workers—a total of 120 respondents. Considering the time and resource limits I could not have more. I have selected disproportionately more women than men. Though over 80% of the total RMG workforce are female, my sample includes only 60% women. I wanted to contrast the scenario with guys to show significant weaknesses they experience, hence this is. So, I chose additional guys to know more about their circumstances. My sample frame has been the list of factories from the BGMEA and BKMEA website (http://www.bgmea.com.bd/ and http://www.bkmea.com/). Because I just wanted to study the Savar region, I created a smaller list of industries in Savar area. Savar has 106 factories. I phoned every one of them to see if these factories were indeed in Savar. Following confirmation, I located 80 Savar factories. From these I have picked four (2 Knit, 1 Woven and 1 Sweater) randomly. The selected factories’ responders I have reached out to. From each of the factories, I have interviewed 30 employees. From the factory gate I received 40; from other local sources 80. A pilot survey of 10 chosen RMG workers in Savar region was undertaken prior to question finalization. The pre-test was conducted to see if the questions were suitable and whether the meanings were correctly grasped by the participants. Seven main parts make up my survey…. 1. Personal information 2. Living circumstances 3. Information on services 4. Violence experienced by the respondents 5. Vulnerabilities experienced by the responders. Data was gathered using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study focuses on the experiences of garment workers, who rely on garment manufacturers for their livelihoods. The study explores gender violence, vulnerabilities, perception, socioeconomic situation, and harassment, which are all aspects of the garment industry. The reliability of the scales used in the study is questioned, and the ethical issues of the study are addressed. The study adheres to strict privacy, secrecy, and anonymity, with no outside influences or forces on the interview data collection process. However, several problems need attention, such as estimating respondents’ ages, addressing sexual harassment, and ensuring that factories do not allow interviews during working hours. Additionally, the study may not accurately reflect the reality of sexual harassment, as employees may feel unsafe discussing it at work and industrial safety. A larger sample size would have allowed for more accurate results, as it would have been more reflective of the weaknesses of the workers. The study aimed to provide in-depth qualitative data and quantitative data, addressing the issues faced by garment workers and highlighting the need for more effective strategies to address these issues.

3. RESULT & DISCUSSION

For my study I have gathered data on the socio economic situation of the respondents including age, degree For my study I have collected information’s about socio economic conditions of the respondents such as age, level of education, marital status, religion, family member, monthly income, expenditure and saving.  I have interviewed a total of 120respondents. Among which 80 (about 67percent) are female and 40 (about 33percent) are male respondents. I have deliberately and disproportionately selected more male workers to have comparative data about the experience of male workers that is often overlooked in many earlier studies.

Table 01: Age groups of Respondent

Age group	Male	Female (%)	Total
18-22	13  (10.8%)	29  (24.2%)	(35.0%)
23-27	13           (10.8%)	36           (30.0%)	(40.8%)
28-32	14  (11.7%)	15  (12.5%)	(24.2%)
Total	40 (33.3%)	80           (66.7%)	(100%)

Table shows that about 76% of the respondents’ belong to 18 to 27 year age group and 24% belong to 28-32 age groups. Here the female are younger than male. Most of the female (30%) are in 23-27 age groups but males are more (11.7%) in 28-32 age groups than the other. I did not find anyone younger than 18, which close to some earlier research and different than a few too. Khan (2011) found that 70% of the RMG worker are aged between 18-35 and 30% between 36-55.However, Majumder and Begum (2000) revealed that in RMG sector the 56%of the worker aged 19years or less in 1990 and 54% in 1997. But in last 8 years, the mean age of female workers has increased from 19years to 20.4 years.

Table 02: Level of Education

Level of Education	Male	Female	Total
Illiterate	17(14.2%)	14 (11.7%)	31(25.8%)
Primary	4(3.3%)	50 (41.7)	54 (45.0%)
Lower secondary	8(6.7%)	14 (11.7%)	22 (18.3%)
S.S.C	5 (4.2%)	2 (1.7%)	7 (5.8%)
H.S.C	6 (5.0%)	0 (.0%)	6 (5.0%)
Total	40 (33.3%)	80 (66.7%)	120 (100%)

Table shows the educational level of the garment workers. It reveals that 45% have passed primary and only 10% had S.S.C or higher. A major part of the respondent, about 26% is illiterate. It proves that most of the garment workers have very low educational background. Here it has also been found that male are more illiterate than women but in case of higher education like S.S.C and H.S.C women are less than male. It can be understood form this that women have less scope to get education after lower secondary but male have that scope. They are mainly unskilled; their chief capital is their physical labour. This finding closely resembles with previous studies [13]. Where Bhuiyan shows that most of the female workers only can write their names & address, many of them have education up to primary. Few of them have education up to class eight and only 2 out of 100 attended S.S.C exams but failed to pass.

Table 03: Work experience and year of working in this job

Year of working	Male	Female	Total
1-3	20(16.7%)	46(38.3%)	55.0%
4-6	13(10.8%)	29 (24.2%)	35.0%
7-9	1(.8%)	3(2.5%)	3.3%
Above 10	6(5.0%)	2(1.7%)	6.7%
Total	40(33.3%)	80(66.7%)	100.0%

Length of service is an important yardstick to measure the extent of sufferings and exploitations faced by workers Table shows that 55.0% of the respondents are working in this job for 1-3 years 35.0% for 4-6 years and only 6.7% above 10 years. This finding reveals that the RMG worker cannot work for long time in a factory. Because their salary depends on their working experience and skill of work so the administrations of the factory sometime fire them. It reveals that Female have less experience than men. Among the respondents 50% have served another place garment industry before getting this post and another 50% don’t have any other factories work experience [14].

Table 04: Getting salary and working hour

Working hour	Frequency	Percent
8-10	32	26.7%
11-13	88	73.3%
Total	120	100.0%

Findings of the survey show that 26.7% of the respondents have to work 8 to 10 hours daily and rest of the 73.3% have to work 11-13 hour daily. This finding is closely resemble to the previous study [15] that they have to work hard and more than 12 hours a day for their livelihood. Most of the workers get their salary within 9-12th of a month and rests 45.0% get their salary within 5-8th of a month.

Table 05: Weekly overtime and extra salary

Hour of working	Frequency	Percent
12-14	14	11.7%
15-17	5	4.2%
18-20	71	59.2%
21-24	30	25.0%
Total	120	100.0%

The table demonstrates the weekly working hour of the respondents. About 59.2% have to work 18 to 20 hours per week and 25.0% have to work 21-14 hour per week. Among the respondents 92.5% get festival allowance and all most the entire worker agreed that their company give the maternity allowance regarding their salary scale. Some of the company pays 3 month maternity leave and allowance of 3 months’ salary and other companies give 4 month maternity leave and allowance of 3 months’ salary. But to get the allowance they have to go through a long process and difficulties. In previous study of Mojumder and Bbegum’s (2000) study on “The Gender Imbalances in the Export Oriented Garment Industry in Bangladesh”. Almost all workers working for one year or more in the same factory receive the festival allowance. Findings of the study show that 93.3% of the respondent have weekend and 6.7% claim they have no weekend. Most of them claim that not all the time but sometime when there is more work in factories they have to work even in weekend. Among the respondent 76.7% have found to have a facilities of mental recreation and 23.3% have no facilities of it while working. They have the facilities of hearing song in factories while working and also some factories are found to have a annual picnic. It also found that 68.3% have the opportunities to do religious activities and 31.7% claims that they have the facilities but do not get enough time to do religious activities. Among the respondents 85.8% have fire extinguishing system and 14.2% have no facilities of it.. It has also been found that 61.7% have the training of fire service but rest 38.3% have no training which reveals that a major part of the respondents have no training and they are at risk and also vulnerable to fire while working. This finding is closely resembled to the previous studies. It has been found that 77.5% respondent’s factories (where they work) have fund for fire extinguishing system and 22.5% have no fund for it. All most 100% worker claims that they have no fund for uplifting activities and retirement allowance. It reveals their worst condition at work and having no facilities for their future. They get money based on their physical work but if become unable to work they will not get any facilities or money.  In this section I have discussed about the respondents living condition like house rent, type of house, use of toilet and furnace, access to pure drinking water and risk of onset in their house.

Table 06: Living years in town

Years of living	Frequency	Percent
0-3	49	40.8%
4-6	38	31.7%
7-9	17	14.2%
Above 10	16	13.3%
Total	120	100.0%

This table demonstrates respondents living years in town. About 40.8% of the respondents are living in town for 0-3 years which shows their lack of skill and knowledge about work because they are new in the city as well as in RMG sector work. This is a major reason behind their low salary. Only 13.3% are living in cities above 10 years.

Figure 01: House rent and type of House

This table reveals that a large number of the respondents about 39.2% have house rent within 500-1000, 25% have house rent within 1501-2000 and only 5.8% have 2501- 3000 taka house rent per month. . About 96.7% of the respondents live in tin shed house. At  present time this cheap amount of house rent expresses the unhygienic and pathetic portrait of their living condition.

Table 07: Number of person living in one room

Person	Frequency	Percent
1-4	83	69.2%
5-8	37	30.8%
Total	120	100.0%

Table 08: Number of person using one toilet

Person	Frequency	Percent
4-8	30	25.0%
9-13	90	75.0%
Total	120	100.0%

 

Table 09: Number of person using one furnace

person	Frequency	Percent
4-8	24	20.0%
9-13	96	80.0%
Total	120	100.0%

These tables demonstrate the number of person living in one room, using a toilet and using a furnace. A major part of the respondents 69.2% are found to live 1-4 person in one room and 30.8% are found to live 5-8 people in one room. One the other hand 75.0% respondents claim that on an average 9-13 person use a toilet and 80.0% claim that 9-13 people use a furnace. A greater number of the respondents reveal that they don’t have access to a furnace. They have to cook from other houses in exchange of 300 taka per month. This finding shows their unhygienic housing condition and vulnerabilities at living place which is closely resemble to previous findings [16]. Almost all of the respondents 96.7% are found to have access to pure drinking water. In previous studies for example the study [17] “it was found that garment workers have access to safe drinking water supplied by WASA or collect water from tube wells. Water supplied by WASA is not safe to drink without boiling .78.3% of the total respondents are found that they have no risk of onset in their house but 21.7% are feared about onset in their house. This finding reveals that though a major part of the respondents are saving from attack but some are vulnerable.

Table 10: Satisfaction with salary

	Male	Female	Percent
Yes	20(16.7%)	45(37.5%)	65 (54.2%)
No	20(16.7%)	35 (29.2%)	55 (45.8%)
Total	40(33.3%)	80 (66.7%)	120 (100.0%)

This table demonstrates that 54.2% of the respondents are satisfied with their salary and 45.8% are not satisfied. Though their salary is not high but majority are satisfied with it because they can live a better life with the money than the previous study of Chowdhury and Ullah on Socio-Economic Conditions of Female Garment Workers in Chittagong Metropolitan Area–An Empirical Study Which reveals that 58.27% of the female workers are satisfied and 17.89 percent are dissatisfied with their earning. It also reveals that women are more satisfied with their salary than the male.

Table 11: Satisfaction with working environment

	Male	Female	Percent
Yes	23 (19.2%)	48 (40.0%)	71 (59.2%)
No	17(14.2%)	32(26.7%)	49 (40.8%)
Total	40(33.3%)	80(66.7%)	120 (100.0%)

Table 12: Satisfaction with security system

	Male	Female	Percent
Yes	26 (21.7%)	51(42.5%)	77 (64.2%)
No	14 (11.7%)	29 (24.2%)	43 (35.8%)
Total	40 (33.3 %)	80 (66.7%)	120 (100.0%)

Table 13: Satisfaction with present position

	Male	Female	Percent
Yes	14 (11.7%)	38 (31.7%)	52 (43.3)
No	26 (21.7%)	42(35.0%)	68 (56.7)
Total	40 (33.3%)	80 (66.7%)	120 (100.0)

Though savar area is a problematic area for the RMG industries because most of the industrial occurrences like Ranalaza, Tazrin fashion etc had been occurred here. But the table shows that 59.2% of the respondents have satisfaction with their working environment and 64.2% have satisfaction with their security system. Although they face bad behavior or work in unsafe environment and with risk as well as live in slam area but a greater number of worker s are satisfied with their working conditions and security system [18].The table demonstrates that 56.7% respondents are satisfied with their present position, though they are experiencing more violence and vulnerabilities both at work place and living place. This finding is closely resembled to previous studies. The above tables reveal that women are more satisfied with their security system, working conditions and present situation than the male. It discloses that women are more easy to be controlled than men that’s why the RMG factories involves women more than the male. From the above data of my field work I have found that Female are significantly likely to have lower monthly salary (with a significant Chi Square test (p=.000)) reveals that there is a strong unequal relationship between gender and monthly income. About 58% female and 25.8% of my sample have reported to have anxiousness to loss the job. The table shows that more than 50% of the female respondents have aspiration of a permanent job, but most of the male wants to do business or change the job. That’s why this sector needs to minimizes the vulnerabilities of the women. This is statistically significant, the chi square test reveals (p=.000) that there is a significance association between gender and job aspiration. More than 50 % of the female workers have been victimized on the way to the work place but no male are found to be victimized on the way. It also reveals that women are in the worst position than the male. Family violence is mostly faced by the female not the male workers it is also reveals that women are also vulnerable to family inside. From the critical political economy we can see that to get cheap labor and lower production coast capitalism has been emerged in our country and it has been exploiting the poor by making them more vulnerable and also created feminization of labor because women are more manageable and easy to control than men. Though globalization and capitalism created a vast job sector by industrialization for the poor women but it do not ensure the security and equality of the worker rather it is creating more vulnerabilities for the workers .we can see from the findings that the workers are working more and more but their situation is not changing because the capitalist structure want to keep them poor. From the feminist perspectives we can see that women have the earning power but still they are facing the problem of patriarchy. This study reveals that women are working more in lower position than male, male are working in better position. Women have to work not only at work place but also at home , they have no time for their own. They are likely to be more vulnerable at work place, on the way and also at family which reveals that they are in the worst position than men. From the capability index we can see that though the RMG workers have the ability but they cannot get better position because they don’t have access to the other elements of the capability .state does not ensure the capability index for the poor but it make them to be deprived from it.

4. CONCLUSION

The RMG industry provides employment for 4 million people, largely from low-income backgrounds, and was the first sector to widely hire impoverished individuals, particularly women, outside their homes. However, the female workers in the RMG sector face significant challenges both inside and outside their workplaces. Female employees are primarily hired in unskilled or semi-skilled roles due to perceptions of them being more submissive and easier to control than men. They typically work as helpers, operators, and in other lower positions, with limited access to professional development or training. While men largely dominate managerial roles, women struggle to meet basic needs despite their employment. Many live in precarious slum conditions, sharing cramped spaces, unsanitary facilities, and often cooking for others for extra income. Access to proper sanitation and water is severely lacking, with over eight people frequently sharing a single toilet. RMG workers, especially women, often face exploitative labor practices. They frequently receive their wages after the 10th of the month and may experience pay deductions for not meeting targets, talking, or working late. Daily work hours average 11 to 13 hours, often without appointment letters or the ability to take leave when ill. They are sometimes forced to work on holidays and are denied essential bathroom breaks. Verbal harassment and abusive behavior from supervisors are common, with bosses occasionally resorting to physical assault. Sexual harassment from colleagues, superiors, and officials is a pervasive issue for female employees. The work environment itself is unsafe, with constant fears of job loss, health problems, fire accidents, and building collapses. Workers lack adequate first aid and often face verbal and sexual abuse during their commutes. The study highlights that women are significantly more vulnerable than men, not just at work but also on the road and within their homes, where they endure abuse from family members. Men, in contrast, primarily face only physical and psychological abuse at work. Despite their skills, women rarely advance professionally, and their monthly pay is substantially lower than men’s. Over 60% of female respondents expressed anxiety about job security. The RMG industry’s growth is heavily reliant on the exploitation of its female workforce. While it provides income, it severely limits personal time and overall well-being. Global capitalism, particularly in its frontier form, must curb its greed and empower these women as competent citizens with decision-making power. Companies and national-level owners must recognize that the industry’s sustained expansion depends on enhancing the capabilities of these women, not on perpetuating their vulnerability.

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