Quality of Working Condition Of RMG Workers In Bangladesh

RMG

What is RMG?RMG stands for Ready made Garments. Bangladesh, the southern Asian country has a population of approximately 164 million people. The economy of Bangladesh is significantly dependent on agriculture. But its a great news for the country that, ready made garments (RMG) sector of Bangladesh has raised as the biggest earner of foreign currency. This sector creates about 4.2 million employment opportunities and contributes significantly to the GDP. Ready made garments (RMG) of Bangladesh is powered by young, urbanizing, workers, where most of them are women.

Present Condition of Working life of the RMG Workers in Bangladesh: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. But without the proper laws the worker are demanding their various wants and as a result conflict is began with the industry.

Low working salary is another vital fact which makes the labor conflict. Worker made strike, layout to capture their demand. Some time bonus and the overtime salary are the important cause of crisis. Insufficient government policy about this sector is a great problem in Garments Company.

In the last few years there were so many tragic accident in some Bangladeshi garments. The 2012 Dhaka fire broke out on 24 November 2012, in the Tazreen Fashion factory in the Ashulia district on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh. At least 117 people were confirmed dead in the fire, and over 200 were injured, making it the deadliest factory fire in the nation's history.

Just after the tragedy of Tazreen Fashion the next year was the worst year of the history of garments.Rana Plaza collapse was a structural failure that occurred on Wednesday, 24 April 2013 in the Savar Upazila of Dhaka, Bangladesh where an eight-story commercial building named Rana Plaza collapsed. The search for the dead ended on 13 May 2013 with a death toll of 1,130. Approximately 2,500 injured people were rescued from the building alive.It is considered the deadliest garment-factory accident in history, as well as the deadliest accidental structural failure in modern human history.

There are some other problems which are associated with this sector as Job Safety, Food and Accommodation, Transport, Drinking water and Toilets.

AN INTERVIEW OF SOME GARMENTS WORKER:Recently we have made a report on the basis of RMG workers Where we have found several issues and problems. There was an question-answer session, we asked some question to the workers about there working condition , problems, wishes. They give as a very good response. The report is given below.Here is a simple question-answer section where we asked some question to the Worker of Rising Apparels Ltd.

We took 5 workers of Rising Apparels Ltd. A garments located at Rupnagar,Mirpur,Dhaka. We have asked them some questions.

QUESTION-ANSWER:

1.Educational Qualification?

Ans: Most of the workers just passed Primary to Secondary School.

2.Family Members?

Ans: 3-5 person in their family.

3.Their Basic Salary

Ans: 5K-6K up to 3 workers.

4.Type of safety system provided for them by the factory?

Ans: Fire safety system (4 workers)

5. Type of training provided by industry?

Ans: Emergency exit training (everyone).

6. Medical Facility they get from industry?

Ans: free medical service (everyone).

7. Money they expect from new wage structure?

Ans: 14000 BDT/M (3 workers).

8. Satisfied with the attitude of administration?

Ans: Disagree (3 workers).

9.Steps taken by authority if any worker remain absent

Ans: Cutting salary (everyone).

10.Source of drinking water

Ans: WASA (everyone)

11.How workers go their working place

Ans: By walk (4 workers)

12.workers use one toilet?

Ans: 21-30 Workers use one toilet (everyone)

13. Harassed or insulted by anyone?

Ans: No one.

14. They give salary in time?

Ans: strongly agree (everyone)

15. Problems on working place

Ans: Working conditions aren't good (4 workers)

A CHART ON SATISFACTION LEVEL OF THE INTERVIEWED WORKERS:

45

45

60

60

40

Satisfaction

Worker1 Worker2 Worker3 Worker4 Worker5

IMPROVING WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE RMG INDUSTRY:

Since the 1980’s, the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh has experienced rapid growth and is at present ranked as one of the top exporters in the world. Over the past decade the RMG sector has witnessed a number of industrial accidents including the recent fire at Tazreen Fashions and collapse of the Rana Plaza which claimed the lives of hundreds of workers. These accidents shocked the country and the international community. In response to these accidents the Government of Bangladesh and the development partners have mobilised unprecedented support and made commitments to improve working conditions and workers’ safety in the RMG industry in Bangladesh.

The ILO consulted widely with stakeholders of the RMG sector to identify the areas where it can provide short term and long term support in improving working conditions in the sector. Based on the results of extensive consultations, the program adopted an approach that has five vital components :

1. Building and Fire Safety Assessment.

2. Strengthen Labour Inspection & Support Fire and Building Inspection.

3. Build Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) awareness, capacity and systems.

4. Rehabilitation and skills training for victims.

5. Implement Better Work program in Bangladesh.

THANK YOU