The Plight of the Golden Workers of Bangladesh

The reason why I defined them Golden Worker is not because they work in gold industry, it’s because they help us earn US$12.4 billion representing almost 80 per cent of the country's export income by exporting quality garments. But we call them Garment Workers in the sense of negligibility and in some cases we use ‘garment worker’ as slang to address someone having low social class.

A few days ago a team of my department visited a colony in Chittagong city where those workers live. We saw the brutality of reality, the harsh living conditions of those garment workers. You won’t believe how harsh it is. In a single congested room, there are two to three families. They all are cooking in the same room, they all are eating in the same room, and they all are sleeping in the same tiny room. Those who are bringing 80% of the country’s foreign currency are having a very poor standard of living. The visit makes the report of International Trade Union Confederation, a Vienna-based labor rights group an undeniable one that says the garment workers in Bangladesh are the lowest-paid ($ 50/month on an average) in the world and can barely afford food or shelter on their monthly incomes. Is it the fate? Was it supposed to be?

The owners of the garment companies do not bother this plight condition of their workers. As a result, in comparison with the input, the workers get the least payment from the company though the government has fixed a ceiling. The garment companies are exploiting the workers to the fullest amount they can do. In some companies the over time is counted after ten hours of work. The workers are to be paid double of basic salary rate for the over time but unfortunately very few companies pay heed to this point. They experience very few recreational facilities. Moreover misbehavior of the superior makes their life hazy and immense pressure of work makes the workers mentally weak. In a word they are leading a painful life.

We must be thankful to them who are contributing the national economy. The government must be strict in establishing the rights of the garment workers rather than merely declaring the minimum wage range.

Chittagong

April 16, 2011