Climate change worsens woes of RMG workers 

Climate change is taking a severe toll on Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) sector, displacing more than two-thirds of its workers and significantly impacting their health and productivity.

Most affected workers are women, whose livelihoods are threatened by rising carbon emissions, water pollution, heat stress, and frequent climate-induced disasters. A recent study by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) reveals that a majority of garment workers are already affected by sea level rise and environmental degradation.

Bangladesh, one of the countries most vulnerable to global climate change, employs around four million workers in the garment sector-its leading export industry. Among them, women form the overwhelming majority.

According to the BILS report, climate-related challenges such as floods, droughts, cyclones, declining agricultural productivity, pest outbreaks, and river erosion are among the key drivers of displacement. River erosion alone has displaced nearly 7% of the population.

The study also found that more than half of RMG workers believe that environmental concerns are not being adequately addressed by local governments, the Department of Environment, employers, or private sector initiatives. Furthermore, two-thirds of the workers said they have no participation or say in climate-related policy decisions affecting their lives.

Delwara Begum, a former garment worker in Dhaka's Mirpur area, was forced to leave her job six months ago and return to her village in Birol Upazila, Dinajpur. A mother of two, Delwara said, "There was only one exhaust fan on each floor. I would become exhausted from working in the extreme heat. I had to buy saline to recover. It was hot at home too, and I couldn't sleep at night. That made me late for work."

"If I was late for three days, a full day's salary would be deducted, and the management would treat me poorly. That's why I quit and returned to my village," she added.

Delwara's story reflects a larger crisis. A significant number of garment workers are now experiencing decreased productivity due to rising temperatures and related stressors. The garment sector contributes more than 80% of Bangladesh's export earnings, but it is becoming increasingly fragile under the weight of climate change.

According to BILS, climate-induced challenges have negatively affected nearly half of the country's garment workers. Frequent absence due to illness, reduced efficiency, and job insecurity have resulted in lower income and declining well-being for workers.

The study further highlights that factory absenteeism has increased by 25%, worker efficiency has dropped by 8%, overall production has declined by 6%, income and job security have fallen by 13%.

About two-thirds of workers report that factory heat levels have increased, further straining health and performance.

A senior official from the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments under the Ministry of Labour said, "We are focused on workers' rights, but now it's time to consider the loss of productivity due to climate change."

Experts argue that while Bangladesh contributes little to global carbon emissions, it bears the brunt of their consequences.

They call on foreign buyers to share responsibility by paying a climate resilience premium to factories and workers.

"Are international buyers paying extra for the environmental cost" asked M Zakir Hossain Khan, a climate expert and Managing Director of Change Initiative. "They are only paying for the garment. It's time to add at least one dollar per shirt to support environmental sustainability."

In FY 2023-24, Bangladesh exported garments worth $39.35 billion, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). Sweden-based H&M remains the largest single foreign buyer.

According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh has over 200 certified green factories. Yet, only 8% treat waste.

One of the top 10 eco-friendly factories in the world, Fatullah Fashions Limited in Narayanganj, faces a frustrating paradox. Its CEO, Fazle Shamim Ehsan, said, "We built an eco-friendly factory with 30% additional investment. Despite that, I received no extra bids-just an encouraging letter from the buyer."

"In fact, the same month we got the green certification, a foreign buyer pressured us to reduce prices. This is not an isolated case-it's widespread," he lamented.

Industry leaders, including BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem, warn that without fair compensation or incentives, entrepreneurs will be discouraged from maintaining eco-friendly standards. "Will improving only the factory environment change a worker's life A worker spends 14 hours outside the factory-what happens there" Hatem asked.

According to former BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim, Bangladesh is a global leader in green garments, hosting eight of the world's top ten eco-friendly factories. "We've achieved this on our own. Today, 49 of the top 100 platinum-rated green factories are in Bangladesh," he said.

A survey by Accord Alliance shows that 82-98% of the country's factories are compliant with global safety standards. Yet, major concerns remain around workers' health and environmental sustainability.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that Bangladesh currently loses 2.59% of its manufacturing working hours due to heat stress-projected to rise to 4.96% by 2030 (ILO, 2019). Increasing use of air conditioning in factories to combat heat could worsen Bangladesh's carbon emissions, as most electricity is still generated from fossil fuels.

The intersection of climate change and labour vulnerability in Bangladesh's garment sector is now impossible to ignore. With millions of workers-especially women-at risk, the need for integrated policies, fair trade practices, and climate justice is more urgent than ever.