A recent article published by The Guardian, framing the lives of female garment workers in Bangladesh between factory and brothel, is not only offensive but also a gross overgeneralization, said BGMEA President Faruque Hassan.
It risks overshadowing the remarkable transformation of women’s empowerment propelled by the nation’s RMG industry, he said in a statement, condemning the article that “defames women at work.”
“It’s true that individual hardships exist, but framing women workers within a single struggle is potentially harming them by provoking radicalism, causing social stigma and mental illness,” Faruque said.
“The report itself appears to be incorrect to us as it says that the mentioned female worker works for a large factory, it didn’t mention the name; and there is hardly any export-oriented garment factory located at the place as the report mentions, except for a few tailoring facilities catering to the local market only,” he said.
“The report does not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes against women at work, but also defames an industry that employs millions of women and contributes significantly to the national economy,” said the BGMEA chief.
Rest of the BGMEA chief’s statement
“Women’s contribution to Bangladesh’s GDP growth is estimated at a staggering 34% and it continues to rise. For millions of less privileged women having less literacy and skills, the RMG industry is the first formal sector of employment.
Through this industry, women have emerged as the critical support for their families, achieving economic independence and social empowerment.
The ascent isn’t confined to the shop floor. Women are scaling the ranks, their talents are gracing technical departments in the industry like industrial engineering, product designing and merchandising, as well as taking on leadership positions.
When they leave the factories, they leave footprints of entrepreneurial spirit, transforming into owners of their own businesses.”
“While writing a report remotely, without having proper understanding of the background and reality, to deliberately portray the bleak picture, one must acknowledge the broader narrative – millions of women rising from poverty, gaining skills, and forging a path towards brighter futures for themselves and their families.
“Currently around 90 young female RMG workers are pursuing higher studies in the Asian University for Women under the Pathways for Promise program.
“While the girls pursue their bachelor studies with full scholarship from the university, the employer factories continue to pay the full wages to them throughout the entire tenure of their study.
“There are numerous instances that the sons and daughters of workers are pursuing higher education in engineering, medical science and many more disciplines through the humble support of the factories.”
