Thoughts on Economics
Vol. 20, No. 03

Problems of Bangladesh Garments Sector and their Solution– An Islamic Perspective
Sarwar Md. Saifullah Khaled(

Abstract: The paper relates to the Bangladesh garments sector. Garments workers are badly exploited by the factory owners in collaboration with their foreign buyers resulting in a sub-human standard of life of workers. The occasional agitations for higher wages and better amenities for workers are alleged to be fanned up to violence by some interested quarters together with the privileged unorganized labour leaders and certain NGOs. The recent violence following the declaration of the Wage Structure 2010 is alleged to be backed by those interested in taking away this industry from Bangladesh. The paper highlights the major problems faced by the industry and suggests solution in the light of the teachings of Islam.

I. Introduction

After the decline and fall of the jute industry just after liberation – (recent media reports show a hopeful prospect of this industry) – the garments industry now plays a vital role in the economy, starting about a decade or so after the emergence of Bangladesh. Like the jute growers and the jute industrial workers that were once the driving force of the Bangladesh economy, the same role is being played today by the garments industry and its workers, and they are the single largest number of industrial workers in the country. With the toil, sweat and untiring effort of the garments workers, this industry has achieved immense expansion. These workers join this industry with a hope of achieving social security and in search of livelihood. They usually come from the wretched families of rural Bangladesh. These rural families give their children very elementary education up to class one or two for making them eligible to work in the urban based garments industries. It has been shown in