Home ›› 08 Oct 2021 ›› Back

Pregnant RMG workers had highest job loss risk in Covid: Study

Staff Correspondent
08 Oct 2021 00:00:00 | Update: 08 Oct 2021 01:25:11
Pregnant RMG workers had highest job loss risk in Covid: Study

Pregnant women and older workers in readymade garment factories had the highest risk of losing their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic, says a study.

It also found that the abuse of female workers in factories had increased during the global health crisis.

The study on developing post-Covid-19 gender policy measures to end forced labour and exploitation in the RMG sector was jointly conducted by the University of Aberdeen and the sociology department of the University of Dhaka.

Salma Akhter, professor of sociology at the University of Dhaka, presented the study findings at a press briefing at the National Press Club in the capital on Thursday.

In her keynote, she said it was a qualitative study.

A total of 130 people in the apparel sector, including workers, stakeholders, trade union and industry leaders, government policymakers, and development professionals, were interviewed between January and July this year for the study.

The study said factories had increased production targets and the failure to meet those during the normal working day had meant workers had been forced to do unpaid overtime.

It said female workers had faced increased verbal abuse, rudeness, and shouting mainly because male line supervisors had pressured them to meet unrealistic targets.

Women were afraid to complain due to the fear of losing their jobs, the study said.

Professor Salma could not exactly say the number or proportion of workers subjected to abuse and forced labour.

She said she was presenting the keynote and the main research paper would have the details.

“But it [the main paper] is not publishable yet. We talked to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president about this, and he committed to taking initiatives in this regard,” she said.

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan told The Business Post RMG workers’ facilities had been increased at present.

“I do not know what they [the research team] want to say, but there is not any abuse or harassment of workers. Our workers are enjoying the best facilities, and we are continuously monitoring,” he said.

“We will give our feedback after receiving the research paper,” he added.

At the press conference, Planning Minister MA Mannan opposed using the term “forced labour” in the research paper title.

“We welcome all kinds of research, but I believe there is no forced labour now. Forced labour and slavery are colonial matters,” he said.

He further said the government would take all kinds of initiatives to protect workers’ rights.

×