Desk Report: Almost nine in every 10 workers in readymade garment sector quit their job within years after joining it as they cannot endure the excessive work they have to do in the sector in Bangladesh, says a report unveiled at National Press Club in the capital, reports New Age.
The study shows that a garment worker spends Tk 1,110 a month on an average, almost one third of the amount of Tk 3,270 they need to spend for working eight hours a day.
It showed that 87 per cent workers in the sector are below 30 years of old, the report says, adding that the rest are above 30.
According to the researchers, the workers are forced to leave their job as they lost their working ability due to extra work without taking needed meals.
Bangladesh Garment Sramik Sanghati conducted the survey between June and July among 200 workers working at 31 factories in six clothing industrial belts of the country.
Economist Professor Anu Muhammad said that workers gradually loss their productivity as they cannot afford nutritious food for financial crisis
due to their low wage, which finally forces them to leave the job and employ their children in child labour.
Academics and labour rights activist demand a living wage that should not be lower than Tk 16,000 for the garment worker for the betterment of the sector.
Labour rights activist Hamida Hossain demanded a permanent solution to wage increment as she observed that the workers never got any minimum wage without movement.
Trade Union Federation president Shah Atiul Islam said that workers in every sectors of the country were in the same situation.
He urged the government to set national minimum wage immediately.
Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies executive director Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed said that only 20 per cent of production costs were expended as workers’ wage.
He said a decent wage for workers was important for the future of the industry.
Centre for Policy Dialogue research director Khondaker Golam Moazzem said that at least Tk 22,425 was needed monthly for a four-member family in the country.
He said 17 per cent of workers used to sleep on floor while the country was the second garment exporter in the global market.
According to the report, 67 per cent garment workers are forced to live in a single room with their family as they cannot afford their expenses with their current wage.
They expend only 28 per cent of their earning for food, 23 per cent for housing, eight per cent for health, four per cent for education, the report says.
BGSS president Taslima Akter said that workers wage should be higher than Tk 16,000 but the labour organisations considering socio-economic condition urged the government to set the wage.
She said the present minimum wage of Tk 5,300 do not support livelihood of the workers forcing them to take less food spending Tk 1,110 while they need Tk 3,270 monthly.
As the workers cut their spending for food, they lose their ability to work and are obliged to leave the job, she said, adding that only 13 per cent workers were found over 30 years of age.
Biplabi Garments Textile Sramik Forum convener Shahidul Islam Sabuj said that although the country’s RMG sector was the second highest exporter in global market, workers here got the lowest in the world.
Garments Sramik Front president Ahsan Habib Bulbul said that the government should fix monthly wage at Tk 16,000 for garment workers as it declared Tk 17,812 for its factory workers.