Report On Socio-Economic condition of female garment workers in Dhaka city- an empirical study Course Title: Research Methods Course

code: BBA 3322 Section: A Semester: SPRING 2012 Submitted To: Md. Deluar jahan Moloy Lecturer Department of Business Administration Northern University Bangladesh Submitted By: S.M.Samiul Kazy saad al jubayer Md. Alamin MD. shakir hossain Emon BBA 090150504 BBA 090150521 BBA 090203132 BBA 080202740

Date of submission: April 13,2012

Letter of Transmittal April 13,2012 Md. Deluar jahan Moloy Lecturer Department of Business Administration Northern university, Bangladesh. Sub: Submission of report on socio-Economic condition of female garment workers in Dhaka city. Dear Sir, In accordance to your advice to us for preparing a report on Socio-Economic condition of female Garment workers in Dhaka city we would like to inform you that we have prepared this report. In preparing this report, we have followed your guidelines. As per your direction, we have added a lot of information for the mentioned topic. From this report we have achieved a lot of basic knowledge and we think ourselves that it will help us a lot in our future career. We sincerely hope this report will fulfill the requirements that suggested by you under the course Research Methods (BBA 3322). We truly appreciated this report & we hope it will be accepted by you. If you have any question after reading this report, let us know.

Sincerely yours, Maksudus Zaman Lizen Md.zahedur Rahman Md. Shoaib Hossain S. M. Samiul Zerin Tasneem Zeem

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Acknowledgement

At first, we would like to express our gratitude to almighty Allah for enabling us the strength and opportunity to complete the report within the schedule time successfully. At the very first we wish to tender our sincere gratitude and deep indebtedness to Md. Deluar jahan Moloy, Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, Northern University Bangladesh for his valuable advice and guidance. Without his support it would have been very difficult for us to complete this report. We are also very grateful to the female garment workers in Saharia/ gildan industries ltd. and Alpha composite towels ltd. We wish to express our gratitude to all of them who have supported us to prepare this report. Finally, we are grateful to our University Northern University Bangladesh for giving us an opportunity for taking Higher education.

Thanks By Group Members

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Table of content

Serial no. 01 Chapter -01

TITLE

Pag e no.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION 1.1. Introduction

1.2. Origin of the report

1.3. Objective of the study 1.4. Research Hypothesis 1.5. Methodology 1.5.1. Source of data 1.5.2. Primary sources 1.5.3. Secondary sources

1.6.. Limitations of the study

Chapter - 02

Social Condition 2. O. Age and Marital condition

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2.1. Children and Education Level 2.2. WORKING POSITION & TIME 2.3. Accommodation pattern 2.4. Gender discrimination 2.5. Work environment Chapter -03 Economic Condition

3.0. Monthly salary 3.1.Salary Satisfactions 3.2. Payment Time 3.3. Discriminations in salary payment

Recommendations Conclusion Appendix References

Executive summery Bangladesh is an over populated country where it is very much difficult to ensure all the basic facilities. However, this country is said to be developing, considering few important sector. Ready made garments are one of them. Every year the highest revenue is coming from this sector. Since the early 1980s an exportoriented garments industry has mushroomed in Bangladesh, with women workers constituting a significant proportion of its wage labor force. The women worker working in RMG sector most does not pay according to the law and exploiting them a lot by bound them to work over the working time. Most of them are coming from poor family, broken family and the family living under poverty line. As a result they have no other option to turn back to their family & tolerate the apprehension. In work sometimes they face gender discrimination and teasing. Most of the industries they do not get residential facilities. The women working in garments have a little knowledge of education & they join in this sector at very early age. The employment of young women in labor-intensive factory production is seen as arising from their weak economic and social position. Wages for women are lower because women are seen as supplementary wage earners in the household and because they lack the support of labor organizations. This report attempted to assess overall social condition and economic position of female garment workers in Dhaka city and survey is made from different samples in Dhaka city to get some different opinion regarding the objectives.

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Introduction Since the early 1980s an export-oriented garments industry has mushroomed in Bangladesh, with women workers constituting a significant proportion of its wage labor force. Perhaps the most notable feature of this industry is its heavy use of women workers; an estimated 70-80 per cent of those employed in the industry are women (Majumdar and Chaudhuri, 1994). In explaining the reasons for the feminized wage labor force, considerable attention has been paid to the motivations of employers: the lower cost of young women workers, and their assumed, obedience and quickness in comparison to men. Conventional understandings of womens entry into wage employment in Bangladesh have emphasized the role played by extreme poverty and the related dynamic of women unemployment and abandonment factors. The employment of young women in labor-intensive factory production is seen as arising from their weak economic and social position. Wages for women are lower because women are seen as supplementary wage earners in the household and because they lack the support of labor organizations. Women are also perceived as quiet and willing to spend long hours doing. Women work long hours for apparently low wages, the terms and conditions of their work are better than most of their existing alternatives. Although income may be pooled, women retain some personal control over it. By working in a factory outside the home, women earn a certain degree of freedom from their families and learn no familial social roles. To reduce labor costs, manufacturers employ underage women. Manufacturers are motivated to locate their businesses in countries where child-labor laws are not enforced. Therefore, such countries have a comparative advantage over settings where manufacturers

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are actively prohibited from using child labor. This is very much viewed in this research where most of the female workers are not adult. Although they are working but getting a very low wage which is no enough to maintain their livelihood. They lead a very miserable life. This report attempted to assess overall social condition and economic position of female garment workers in Dhaka city.

1.2. Objectives of the Research: General objectives: To assess the socio-economic condition of female workers employed in garment sector in Dhaka city. Specific objectives: To identify the factor that affects the socio-economic conditions of the female garments. To assess the social condition as well as economic position of the female garment workers in Dhaka city. To assess the number of female working in garments industries. To recommend measures to be taken for improving the socio-economic condition of female garment workers in Bangladesh.

1.3. Research Hypothesis: The main hypothesis of this research is to carry out the socio-economic condition of female garments worker and to recommend the factors which accelerate their condition
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1.4. Methodology: This report has been prepared on the basis of Personal interview method. In the report we were conducted in depth interview of the different industries female workers in different area. The interviews for the study were guided by the mixer of close ended and open ended questions. The sample of women garment workers were collected from two different sources/places.

1.4.1. Source of data: To make the report more meaningful and presentable, two sources of data and information has been usedSources of Data Secondary Data

Primary Data

1.4.2. Primary sources Practical Interview Direct Discussion Direct opinion

1.4.3. Secondary sources Reviewing Relevant literature Visiting website Reading books
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 Journals Newspaper

1.5. Limitations of the study We had more limitations for complete this report these are follows: Lack of time Long Distance between respondent & us. Load shading Lack of highly speed Lab facilities Intensive cost of data collection

Social condition Analyses of womens entry into wage employment in Bangladesh often emphasize the role played by extreme poverty and the related dynamic of male unemployment and desertion in driving women into the wage labor market. Since the 1970s, growing numbers of rural women in Bangladesh have sought wage employment in the areas of agricultural labor, as well as earth-cutting, brick-breaking, construction and road maintenance. Mahmud(1992) notes that two groups of women have been particularly likely to engage in these jobs: women in low-income male-headed households, and women heads of household. Thus impoverishment and the absence of a male breadwinner are two characteristics of the wage-seeking women. An emphasis on these push. factors is in many ways consonant with the notion that cultural barriers have been critical in deterring womens wage employment. That is, it is only under the tremendous pressures of extreme poverty that woman violate cultural proscriptions against their involvement in paid employment, particularly in jobs that require them to be in male-Dominated public spaces. 2.0. Age and Marital Status The majority of the workers in the sample are between the ages of 10 and 20 years, as shown by table 1, which is the height percentage of near 47 percentages. We can see, there is a lower percentage which represents women having their age between 20-30 years. And there is medium percentage which represents the women of age above 30 years.

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It can be said from the table, that female get admitted in this sector at a very early age. Table: 1 How old are You? years Frequen Percen cy Valid 10-20 20-30 Above 30 Total 14 7 9 30 t 46.7 23.3 30.0 100.0 Valid Percent 46.7 23.3 30.0 100.0 Cumulativ e Percent 46.7 70.0 100.0

Marital status? Frequenc y Valid Unmarrie d Married widow Total 12 17 1 30 Percent 40.0 56.7 3.3 100.0 Table2
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Valid Percent 40.0 56.7 3.3 100.0

Cumulativ e Percent 40.0 96.7 100.0

Most of the female in the sample are married. Here, 17 out of 30 female are married, a only one person is widow. 2.1. Children and Education Level

How many children you have? Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Valid None 1-2 3-4 Above 4 Total 3 7 7 1 18 10.0 23.3 23.3 3.3 60.0 16.7 38.9 38.9 5.6 100.0 Percent 16.7 55.6 94.4 100.0

Unmarrie d Total

12

40.0

30

100.0

Table: 3

In this sample, a good number of female workers who are unmarried and their percentage are 40. Here we see there are 7 women who have more than 3 children and there are 7 women who have more than 1 child. There are 3 female workers who are married but having no children.
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Pie chart: 1

Among the sample there is a huge amount of female who are in the blue color. Here, blue color indicates who can sign their name and up to primary level. Green color indicates female entered in to the secondary level, yellow color indicates the female who have read in secondary and red is for university level. 2.2. Working position What is your position? Frequen cy Valid helper operator general stuff above Total 9 13 6 2 30 Valid Percent Percent 30.0 43.3 20.0 6.7 100.0 30.0 43.3 20.0 6.7 100.0 Cumulative Percent 30.0 73.3 93.3 100.0

Table: 4
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From this sample we can understand that there are 13 operators and 9 helpers. On the other hand there are two stuffs.

How many years you are working? Frequen Percen cy Valid 1-2 Years 2-3 3-5 more than 5 years Total 10 6 7 7 30 t 33.3 20.0 23.3 23.3 100.0 Valid Percent 33.3 20.0 23.3 23.3 100.0 Cumulativ e Percent 33.3 53.3 76.7 100.0

Table: 5

The working time varying on age difference. Here about 34 % among sample working only 1-2 years. There are 7 female who are working more than five years and between 3-5 years.

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2.3 Accommodations

Here, we can se a high rise up to 20 is the female who live in rented house. It is to be said that all the married female live in rented house may with their husband of siblings who also work in garments. That means all of them are coming from outside. There is only one who has own house and working as a operator. Rests of them are live in Mesh.

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To sum up, the collective profile of the workers that emerges is of a young group of women, large numbers of whom are married. On average, they have had some primary education, although some have no education (just can sing their name) and some have secondary-level education. There are two who have the higher education and work as an office administrator. The low number of women with more than primary education may be a reflection of the dominance of operators and helpers in the sample, rather than jobs requiring a higher level of education, such as quality inspector or supervisor. Most of the women are getting early marriage. Sometimes it may be below the age of adulthood. They do not residential facilities in work place and have to arrange their resident in a low salary. Some points have arrived that they cant maintain their livelihood in the salary they get. They do not any kind of government help and sometimes face the illegal behavior by other men workers. Many of them live with their family who has good income. But the main things that must consider all of them work more than eight hours, which breaks the rules of law. Often they face gender discrimination, teasing and mental punishment by the supervisors.

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Economic Condition Because the primary motivation for seeking a job is to earn a living, salary histories are an important part of the workers narratives. Their views of the prospects for economic mobility, management of income, propensity to save, and patterns of expenditure provide important insights into their lives. Most garment factories have several categories of workers: entry-level workers are called helpers or apprentices; helpers capable of reading the English alphabet and numerals are promoted to become operators, at which point they learn to run machines; some workers with secondary education may occasionally graduate to the roles of line chiefs or supervisors. Although the ratio of helpers to operators varies, in a typical factory, it is about one helper to two operators. The number of senior posts is very limited. For example, a factory of 300 workers will have fewer than 20 supervisory posts. Nevertheless, because some supervisors start as helpers, a helper may aspire to become a supervisor. Salary and incentive structures are similar across

factories. In the quantitative survey, the mean basic monthly wage of helpers was 2000 taka (about US$30) and that of operators was Tk.3600 (about $50). However, There is an irregularity in payment of overtime rather than the proportion who did not work overtime. Among those who do receive overtime earnings, the mean for helpers is Tk.223 ($5) and for operators, Tk.407 ($9) per month. Within an occupational category, variation in wages can be substantial, depending on seniority and performance. Most workers describe relatively rapid wage increases in the first year of work. Several young women expressed this prospect of mobility as an important positive aspect of their work experience and one that is not a characteristic of any other potential work opportunities
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3.0. Monthly Salary

What is your salary? Frequen Percen cy Valid below Tk .3000 3000-5000 500010000 above tk. 10000 Total 6 8 12 t 20.0 26.7 40.0 Valid Percent 20.0 26.7 40.0 Cumulativ e Percent 20.0 46.7 86.7

4 30

13.3 100.0

13.3 100.0

100.0

Table: 6

The higher respondent position 12 indicates the operator who are working more than 3-4 years and earning over Tk. 5000. A lower sample rate 4 indicates the office stuff and production basis workers who are getting over ten thousands taka. And entry level workers referred as helper getting below 3000 taka.

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3.1. Salary Satisfactions

Are you satisfy with salary? Frequen Percen cy Valid yes No Total 18 12 30 t 60.0 40.0 100.0 Table: 7 Valid Percent 60.0 40.0 100.0 Cumulativ e Percent 60.0 100.0

Maximum of the female garments worker are not well educated. As a result they do not know the exact salary of their work. So most of them are satisfied with their salary as they think this salary is proper.

3.2. Salary in time

Do you get salary in time? Frequen Percen cy Valid yes No 3 Total 23 6 1 30 t 76.7 20.0 3.3 100.0 Valid Percent 76.7 20.0 3.3 100.0 Cumulativ e Percent 76.7 96.7 100.0

Table: 8

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In terms of salary payment the industry that we have surveyed is very punctual and they pay salary in due time. Here 23 of the respondent answered positive and only 6 answered negative. 3.3 Salary discrimination

Do you get salary in time? Frequen Percen cy Valid yes No 3 Total 23 6 1 30 t 76.7 20.0 3.3 100.0 Valid Percent 76.7 20.0 3.3 100.0 Cumulativ e Percent 76.7 96.7 100.0

Table 9

Salary payment in terms of male and female there is a big discrimination between male and female. Among the respondent total 23 answered positively. That means there is discrimination between male and female in terms of salary. That means male get more salary rather than women. Overall, the women employing in the garments sectors for the family survival. Many of them work for changing their family conditions and make them affluent.

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Recommendation: By this research we found some problem regarding to the socio economic of female garment workers in Dhaka city. And to solute this problem some recommendation has came from the respondent. Those are as follows. 1. To increase the salary of the female workers 2. To make good working environment 3. To establish equal benefits in men and women 4. To ensure good practice of law 5. To give government facilities

Conclusion An important part of the new socialization young women experience through working in the formal sector has to do with their negotiating the various ways that society stigmatizes working women and constrains all women in their quest for autonomy, while at the same time valuing their economic contributions. The perception of factory work as technological and sophisticated and, therefore, superior to most alternatives is an essential part of constructing a positive image to combat the stigma attached to violating seclusion rules. The labor force is differentiated in terms of status and earnings, allowing women to set goals of advancement. Co-workers form important peer groups: for rotating funds, for traveling to and from work together, and for providing information and evaluation about alternative opportunities and even about marriage prospects. The presence of peers has implications for young womens reproductive health, as does the increased pressure for sexual activity that comes with the greater mobility and autonomy of women and their interactions with men. However, the overarching reproductive health implication of working is that it allows women to delay marriage and, even after marriage, to delay childbirth, because of the high
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opportunity costs to women of leaving the workforce. All these beneficial outcomes of garment-industry jobs have been experienced largely by women who started working as teenagers, many of them at ages that would put them into an illegal category in terms of existing Bangladeshi child-labor laws. However, where choices are extremely limited, and where education is rarely a realistic option, factory work in the garment industry may be regarded as a positive opportunity enabling girls to delay marriage and motherhood and to reduce their reliance on alternative and more risky forms of employment.

References:
Majumdar and Chaudhuri, 1994). STUDIES IN FAMILY PLANNING 1998 Nazli kibria, 1998 Wikipedia And some website

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