Women's contribution to our RMG sector

Under the sky of Bangladesh, where sunlight enters every village home through narrow windows, an unseen battle continues-the struggle of women workers. In the factories of the garments industry, thousands of women wake up every day and surrender themselves to the wheel of a mechanical life. Through their labor, a stream of foreign currency flows into the national economy; yet behind this stream lie countless human stories, tears, breaths, and dreams. As of June 2024, out of a total workforce of 5.017 million, approximately 2.788 million women risk their lives every day in this sector. Each figure is not merely a statistic; each number signifies a mother's burning tears, a daughter's shattered dreams, and a family's silent anxiety.

The lives of women workers are not solely about earning an income; they are symbols of a claim to existence itself. Rising from small rural homes, they enter urban factories where each day passes amid long working hours, physical exhaustion, and insecurity. They seek not only to bring smiles to their families but also to prove that they have a rightful place in society. To understand their stories of inspiration, one must look beyond numbers to the small moments of real life-where a mother overcomes a day's fears and despair just to return home safely to her daughter, or where she works with eternal patience beside dark machines, hoping her dreams will one day come true.

Women workers in the garments sector have not only achieved financial independence; through their labor, social relationships and family perceptions have changed. In families where girls' education was once neglected, parents are now investing in their daughters' schooling. Girls are attending schools and colleges, and some are even accessing higher education. Small rural households are progressing toward development through women's earnings, and women workers have emerged as companions in the journey out of the trap of poverty. Their confidence and social dignity are increasing, proving that the stitches made by a woman worker's hands do not only shape garments, but also the nation's dreams and pride.
Yet behind this success lies the harshness of reality. Long working hours, comparatively low wages, health risks, and insecurity-each of these challenges is a daily companion. The memory of the Rana Plaza tragedy remains vivid; the world witnessed how these women labor tirelessly in hazardous environments. Every morning, they wake up, forgetting the pain of the day, driven by a single desire-to bring smiles to their families' faces. Within this silent struggle lies the strength of Bangladesh's garments industry, which continues to propel the national economy forward each day.

In the eyes of every woman worker, there is not only the image of present struggle, but also dreams of the future. Some wish to educate their children and shape them into strong citizens of society; some aspire to complete their own education and become self-reliant; others dream of leaving the factory floor behind one day to start a small business of their own. These dreams give meaning to their daily labor, and it is for these dreams that they wake up each morning, forgetting fatigue and risk, and begin a new day's struggle. Without understanding this dimension of their hopes and aspirations, we can never truly grasp the significance of their courage and sacrifice.

Their challenges are not only physical, but mental as well. According to Oxfam data, 61% of women workers experience harassment in some form. Many women remain confined to lower positions and are denied opportunities for leadership. In this silent daily journey, they wage a battle on three fronts-economic, social, and psychological. Yet their firm determination and courage enable them to overcome every wound life inflicts upon them.

Women workers are not merely laborers; they are the silent heroines of Bangladesh's economy. The stitches made by their hands have carried Bangladesh's name across the global market, lifting the nation with pride under the "Made in Bangladesh" tag. But have we been able to grant them the dignity they deserve? Ensuring their safety, healthcare, fair wages, and decent working conditions is now the most urgent demand of our time. Without protecting their rights, this economic progress can never be sustainable.

The struggling lives, sacrifices, and unwavering determination of every woman worker are the unseen forces behind the progress not only of the garments industry, but of the entire nation. These women are the silent heroines of our society and economy; without recognizing their contributions, the future of the nation can never reach fulfillment. From their courage, labor, and dreams is forged the pride of the country-and that pride teaches us one truth above all: women's power is the true driving force of national progress.