When the "Made in Bangladesh" label adorns a glittering garment displayed in an upscale shopping mall abroad, it often evokes a sense of national pride. However, behind those polished storefronts lie untold stories of sweat, deprivation, and silent suffering. Beneath the relentless hum of sewing machines are the lives of millions of garment workers whose tireless labour keeps the country's economic engine running. While their efforts drive export growth and contribute significantly to GDP, their own lives remain trapped in a cycle of exploitation and neglect.
The readymade garment (RMG) industry is the backbone of Bangladesh's economy, generating the lion's share of export earnings and employing millions of workers. However, a closer look at the lives of those who produce this success reveals a stark contradiction. The people sacrificing their youth and health on factory floors rarely receive fair compensation or recognition for their labour. Despite the country's steady economic progress, the living standards of most garment workers have barely improved.
The most visible expression of this inequality lies in their wages. The monthly earnings of most garment workers remain grossly inadequate in the face of rising living costs. The gap between a "minimum wage" and a "living wage"-the income required to maintain a basic standard of living-remains alarmingly wide. As inflation steadily increases the prices of essential goods, workers' wages fail to keep pace. As a result, access to nutritious food, safe housing and quality education for their children often remains out of reach.
The problem goes beyond financial hardship. The undervaluation of garment workers is also reflected in the lack of dignity and respect they receive in the workplace. Many workers continue to face unsafe working conditions, limited access to occupational health services and inadequate maternity protections. Poor nutrition and cramped living environments further expose them-most of whom are women-to serious long-term health risks.
Moreover, the everyday culture within some factories remains deeply troubling. In the race to meet strict production targets, workers frequently endure verbal abuse, mental harassment, forced overtime, and, in some cases, physical intimidation. Such treatment reduces human beings to mere instruments of production, eroding their dignity and causing lasting psychological harm.
Responsibility for this systemic injustice is shared by multiple actors. International brands and buyers relentlessly demand lower production costs to maximise profit margins. Local manufacturers, struggling to compete in this price-driven market, often respond by squeezing wages and intensifying production pressures. Consequently, while global retailers generate enormous profits, the workers at the base of the supply chain see little improvement in their lives.
No nation can sustain long-term development on the foundation of exploited labour. Ensuring fair wages, safe working conditions, and basic respect for garment workers is not merely an economic necessity, it is a moral imperative.
Md. Habibullah Bahar
Executive Member
Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall Union, RUCSU.
