Living standards need to be improved for development

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) global rights index 2023 only highlighted the fragile condition of working class people in Bangladesh. According to the report, Bangladesh is one of the ‘worst’ ten countries for the working class around the world.

The other nine countries on the list are Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Guatemala, Myanmar, Tunisia, Philippines and Turkey. IUTC has prepared the report including 149 countries this time.

The issue stressed most in the report is that working class in Bangladesh don’t have the guarantee of rights.  

Regressive laws, obstruction to form unions and violence of law enforcement members agaist the workers have been cited as the reasons behind this uncertainties of the labourers.

Though in limited scale, workers have had the right to form organisations and bargain for wages since colonial time. But workers don’t have the right to form trade unions inside the eight export processing zones (EPZ), established for attracting foreign investments.

There are more than 4.5 million (45 lakh) workers employed in readymade garments factories, the largest industrial sector of Bangladesh.

Though minimum wages are guaranteed here, it’s hardly sufficient to meet the minimum basic needs of a labourer. In many factories workers aren’t provided regular wages either. Often there arise grudges centring this in the garments industry.

When there was a workers’ unrest at Prince Jacquard Sweater Limited in Gazipur on 25 June, prior to the Eid, for the salary-allowance remaining unpaid, Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation leader Shahidul Islam went there to discuss the issue with them. He became the victim of an ambush on his way back. Later he died while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

There are allegations that the police has been delaying arrest of the accused in Shahidul murder case. Bangladeshi workers aren’t less paid, even when compared to other countries in South Asia. While the work environment of the garments industry has improved a bit following the Rana Plaza collapse, conditions in majority of the sectors are terrible.

It is tough to lead a decent life and have proper work energy with the wages currently received by Bangladeshi workers. A research report published by non-government organisation South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) shows that readymade garments industry workers in the country earn only half of the wages required to meet basic demands including food, residence and medical care.

As much as 80 per cent of the workers in Bangladesh are employed in informal sectors. There are no traces of minimum wages or work hours in those sectors. And the work environment is much more risky.

There are no alternatives to improve workers’ living standards, when the policymakers of the government are dreaming of a developed and prosperous economy. Workers' living standards are also a lot more improved in countries that are economically developed.

The labour act Bangladesh introduced back in 2006 isn’t enough to protect labourers’ interests. On top of that, the government and the owner party are belittling workers’ rights ignoring the law.

We are lagging behind in many international indexes. But that does not excuse being on the list of ten ‘worst’ countries in any possible way. If we want to really lead the country on the highway of development, it’s important to improve workers’ living standards also.

Desired labour or service cannot be expected from workers while keeping them half-starved or in an inhumane environment. They must be given assurance of minimum wages, suitable work environment and security.