Study on identifying the entry barriers and gaps in RMG workplaces and society for the women with disabilities 2018

1. 1
Study on identifying the entry barriers and gaps in RMG
workplaces and society for the women with disabilities
2018
Organized by
Bangladesh Society for the Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN)
Supported by
Girls Advocacy Alliance
PLAN International Bangladesh

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Acknowledgement
B-SCAN would like to acknowledge the cooperation of the Girls Advocacy Alliance of PLAN International
Bangladesh to support to facilitate this comprehensive study.
We would like to recognize the cooperation of the Interfab Shirt Manufacturing Ltd of Viyellatex Group,
Keya Knit Composite Ltd, Abony Fashions Ltd of Babylon Group, Epyllion Style Ltd. of Epyllion Group,
Fakhrudding Textile Mills Ltd. to provide us the opportunity for the focus group discussion and Key
Informant Interview.
We would like to thank the support from Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP), Center for
Disability Development (CDD), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturer and Exports Association (BGMEA),
Department of Women Affairs, Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment (DIFE) of
Ministry of Labor and Employment.
We would like to thank every individual who are involved directly or indirectly in this research with their
valuable comments, sharing, thoughts, times and opinions. We are grateful for the support of the
volunteers also.
Finally we would like to acknowledge the unconditional support of Late Mr. Rafiq Zaman, Director of
Protibondhi Nagorik Shangathaner Parishad (PNSP) to help us to prepare the basic idea of this study,
who passed away in a tragic plane crash in Nepal on 12 March, 2018.

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Table of Content
Research Team
1. Background and Rational
2. Objective of the study
3. Study settings and population
4. Duration of the study
5. Study design and Methodology
● Secondary data review
● Development of observation checklist and questionnaire
● Data Collection
-Focus Group Discussion
-Key Informant Interview (KII)
-In Depth Interview (IDI)
-Observation
6. Research Constraints
7. Data processing and analysis
8. Research Findings
9. Recommendations
10. Conclusion
Annex 1 - Questionnaires

4. 4
Acronyms
BGMEA - Bangladesh Garment Manufacturer and Exports Association
BKMEA - Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturer and Exporters Association
BSCIC - Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation
BEPZA - Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority
UNCRPD - United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
CSO - Civil Society Organization
DIFE - Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment
DPO - Disabled Peoples’ International
FGD - Focus Group Discussion
IDI - In Depth Interview
INGO - International Non-Government Organization
ILO - International Labor Organization
KII - Key Informant Interview
MDG - Millennium Development Goals
MoWCA - Ministry of Women and Children Affairs
NGO - Non Government Organization
RMG - Ready Made Garment
SDG - Sustainable Development Goals
WHO - World Health Organization

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Executive Summary
Many companies realize that people with disabilities are productive, reliable employees who bring
benefits to the workplace. A diverse workforce, inclusive for people with disabilities, is seen by many as
important. Some companies also engage in developing products and services for people with disabilities,
their families and friends. And, as companies engage with communities in which they work, many pay
specific attention to persons with disabilities. These three themes are the basis of persons with
Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices, which describes the contemporary experiences of 25
companies and their work on the issue of persons with disabilities. The profiles describe company
practices towards persons with disabilities as employees or potential employees, customers and
consumers, and community members. The descriptions are short, only two to four pages, but each
captures the context of company operations as it relates to the issue of persons with disabilities.
Persons with Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices is timely for many reasons. It comes in the
wake of a major global economic crisis, yet the companies profiled have nevertheless given strength to
their persons with disability and diversity initiatives. It provides inspiration and guidance to companies
at a time when countries are ratifying and seeking to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities ‐ a comprehensive human rights Convention for people with disabilities that
will require some changes in national policies and practices related to work and employment. Moreover
Bangladesh has achieved some remarkable landmark on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and
has a huge expectation in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It has been
already acknowledged that Persons with disabilities were missed out from the targets and indicators of
MDGs, but SDG has covered them in the all important segments as well as employment sector. SDG goal
8.5 by 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including
for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. Moreover in Data
Gap Analysis by the general economic division shows regarding data of the current employment of
persons with disabilities is not available. So visibility of persons with disabilities especially women with
disabilities will be effective especially in RMG sectors.
Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices also responds to an emerging body of information that
supports the case for hiring people with disabilities and the interest of companies to maintain diverse
workforces.
The study has identified the current workplace situation at RMG sector for persons with disabilities
especially for women, why women workforce with disabilities are dropped from the RMG workplace-
current barrier, challenges, the perception of management of RMG sector on persons with disabilities
especially for women workers with disabilities; the perception of supervisors at the workplace of RMGs
of persons with disabilities especially for women worker with disabilities; Positive and negative
discrimination at workplace for women with disabilities – on wages, work time, overtime, financial
benefits; the emerging advocacy issues etc. It has identified the advocacy ways and strategies to
address the barriers and gaps of women workers with disabilities at RMG sector and scope for increasing
work source for person with disabilities in RMG sector.

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This study has given recommendations to address these issues within government mechanism, and
private garment sectors to come up with sustainable solutions for the workers with disabilities, specially
the women with disabilities in different RMG factories and workplace settings.
Research Team
The research team is comprised of development activists and professionals, persons with disabilities and
architect. Team members are selected in a way so that they can contribute in their specific field of
expertise and provide opinion to enrich the findings of this study.
Nusrat Zerin: Lead Research Consultant. Disability and Inclusive Development Specialist.
Shobnam Hafiz: Research Consultant. Trade Union Women Garments Leader.
Md. Nazmul Huda: Worked as Research Assistant who passes from Begam Rokeya University from
Economics.
Sabrina Sultana: President of women led DPO named B-SCAN and also a muscular dystrophy -
wheelchair user. She is one of the key members of the audit team and participated in questionnaire
design, organizing audit, reporting. She is also the focal person of the Girls Advocacy Alliance project of
PLAN International Bangladesh.
Salma Mahbub: General Secretary of women led DPO named B-SCAN and also a wheelchair user. She is
one of the key members of the research team and participated in questionnaire design, organizing audit
and reporting.
Muhammad Iftekhar Mahmud: Project Coordinator of B-SCAN-GAA and a person with visual disability.
He is one of the key contributors to questionnaire design, field audit and report writing.
Arika Tasmim Mitu : A student of Economics who has experience to work with garments worker. She
worked with as research assistant.
1. Background and Rationale
Bangladesh is the world’s second largest exporter of apparel. The Bangladesh Ready-Made Garment
industry has grown over the space of a few short decades to become the second largest in the world.
The Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry has made a significant contribution to the country’s social
and economic development by providing a primary source of livelihood for over four million workers,
mostly women. However, this remarkable achievement was undermined by industrial accidents that
claimed the lives of hundreds of workers and highlighted the need for a comprehensive effort to
enhance workplace safety in the RMG sector. The RMG sector has become a key driver of the
Bangladesh economy and the nation’s development. RMG exports totaled US$24.5 billion (2013-14)
accounting for over 80% of the nation’s export earnings and employing around 4 million workers, an
estimated 55-60% of whom are women.

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According to a World Report on Disability (2011) published by The World Health Organization (WHO)
and World Bank, roughly a billion people with disabilities in the world. Further, there are approximately
785 million of people with disabilities at their productive age, though the majority of them are
unemployed. Those who are employed generally earn less compared with people who do not have
disability and are often employed in the informal economy with minimal or no social protection. It is
estimated that around 20 million people in Bangladesh are living with a disability. It is evident that
persons with disabilities are more likely to experience economic and social disadvantages than those
without disability. There are many reasons for this, ranging from the limitations that arise from physical
and mental disability to the disabling impact of discrimination and a wide array of other societal
barriers. We can include them in mainstream development through reducing social, environmental, and
attitudinal and policy barriers. Negative attitude towards the capabilities of persons with disabilities,
inaccessible workplace and rigidity in policy created obstacles in waged employment including
government sector.
Ready Made Garments (RMG) sector is one of the main wheels in our economic engine employing
around 3.6 million people. At present there are around five thousands RMG factories in our country.
There are larger opportunities at the RMG sector to create job opportunities for person with disabilities.
But we are observing that person with disabilities aren’t getting that much opportunity especially
women with disabilities & they are dropping out from the job sector (Source: World report on disability:
jointly by WHO and the World Bank).
RMG Companies/factories hire people with disabilities and address their needs in products and services
as well as CSR initiatives, and also by pressure of buyers for many reasons in Bangladesh. With regard to
hiring, one reason for employing people with disabilities is the business benefit case. Based on an
emerging body of information, the business case outlines the benefits of a diverse workforce, inclusive
of persons with disabilities. Basically, it states that:
− People with disabilities make good, dependable employees. Many cases document comparable
productivity, lower accident rates and higher job retention rates between employees with
disabilities and a company’s general workforce.
− People with disabilities represent an untapped source of skills and talent, including technical
skills if they have access to training, and transferable problem‐solving skills developed in daily
life. People who develop disabilities while working often have valuable skills and experiences
learned on the job, in addition to their formal skills qualifications.
− Persons with disabilities, their families and friends are often an overlooked market segment.
Especially in developing countries, many have significant disposable income.
− Hiring people with disabilities can contribute to the overall diversity, creativity and workplace
morale and enhance a company’s image among its staff, in the community and among
customers. Human rights, non‐discrimination and CSR are also reflected in the company
profiles.

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Many illustrate International labor Organization (ILO) principles including those articulated in the ILO
Code of Practice on Managing Disability in the Workplace and in ILO standards. They also provide
inspiration and guidance for companies on advancing their non‐discrimination and diversity policies and
initiatives, especially in light of legislative frameworks that are already being, or likely to be amended, as
a result of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Among many
measures, the Convention calls for non‐discrimination and reasonable accommodation to promote
access to training and employment.
B-SCAN is a voluntary organization run by Women with disabilities undertook this study in several
selected RMG factories to obtain a snapshot of what some RMG companies/factories are currently doing
with regard to disability and what are the factors that are giving more opportunities to the women
workers with disabilities and what areas need to be improved to prevent drop out of women with
disabilities from factories. At the same time, the study aimed to reflect the socio- economic factors
which are acting as barriers for women with disabilities in RMG sector. In most cases, the
information‐gathering process began with a review of secondary data, then collecting information from
interviewing women with disabilities and few men with disabilities who are employed in RMG garment
factories. Some observations were made in few selected garments and government authority
representatives and company representatives were consulted to learn more and clarify certain points on
the study theme. The study profiles illustrate the situation and practices of different companies and
management authorities to attract, retain and accommodate women with disabilities in the workplace;
whether in case of facilities and services, accommodation and adaptation are considered or not that
address the needs of persons with disabilities and to support them in the communities.
2. Objective of the study
The broader objective of the study is to identity the factors which are acting as socioeconomic barriers
and gaps for women with disabilities to access to the opportunities to building their career at RMG
sector and causing dropout.
3. Study settings and population
The study has been carried out to interview the following target population:
• RMG workers with disabilities (especially women with disabilities),
• Family member of the workers with disabilities,
• RMG Officials and management,
• Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA),
• Ministry of Labor,
• Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MOWCA),
• Department of Women Affairs,
• International Labor Organization (ILO),
• Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE),
• B-SCAN participants, DPOs, CSOs, NGOs and INGOs.

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The RMG factories were purposively selected from Dhaka Division.
Sampling of the factories was done randomly where the workers with disabilities (especially the women
with disabilities) are working- Gazipur and Savar city. These factories were –
• Keya Knit Composite Ltd
• Interfab Shirt Manufacturing Ltd
• Epyllion Style Ltd.
• Abony Fashions Ltd
• Fakhruddin Textile Mills LTD
▪ Number of sample: 3 FGD and total 7 KII in a whole.
▪ 5 KII with women workers with disabilities with 51 target people.
▪ KII with 10 RMG labor organization leaders, employers, supervisors, co-workers, Representative
of ILO, National NGOs from the RMG sectors.
• KII with 2 Government officials: Inspector General of Department of Inspection for Factories and
Establishments (DIFE), under Ministry of Labor, Hostel Super, Hostel for Working Women of
RMG, Department of Women Affairs.
The following population was selected for data collection:
Target population Study Area Number Method
Workers with disabilities
(especially women with disabilities)
Dhaka 54 IDI and FGD
RMG factory authorities/representatives Dhaka 5 KII
Government authority representatives (MoWCA,
Ministry of Labor Authority)
Dhaka 2 KII
Labor Unions,
RMG labor organization leaders
Dhaka 3 KII
BGMEA Dhaka 1 KII
4. Duration of the study
August 17, 2018 to 27 December, 2018.
5. Study design and Methodology
To achieve the objective of this study, B-SCAN conducted FGD, IDI and KII with concern target
population.

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• Secondary data review
• Development of observation checklist and questionnaire
• Qualitative Data Collection:
- Focus Group Discussion
- Key Informant Interview (KII)
- In depth Interview (IDI)
- Observation
Detail methodology is described below:
• Secondary data review
A systematic literature review has been done; and relevant national and international documents
(grey literatures) were reviewed -
- Existing government’s policies, regulations, protocol and monitoring system including
guidelines for the workplace facilities, services and supervision of RMG factories
regarding facilities for the persons with disabilities (especially women with disabilities).
- Current national and global scenario of socio-economic barriers and gaps for women
with disabilities working in different RMG companies and factories
- National and International documents, declarations – UNCRPD, ILO, World Bank, World
Health Organization (WHO), PRPD Act-2013, Labor Law-2006, Labor Law Rules-2015,
National Skill Development Policy-2011, ILO convention (Discrimination, Employment
and Occupation) Convention 1958; CEDAW, Equal Remuneration Convention-1951, SDG
goal 8.5.1, SDG goal 8.5.8 and other policies.
• Development of observation checklist and questionnaires
A qualitative approach is applied as an overarching methodology to collect the primary data for this
study. Key Informant Interviews (KII), In-depth Interview (IDI) and Focus Group Discussions (FGD)
were conducted with various stake holders including women with disabilities, employers, co-
workers from the RMG sectors. KII were also conducted with representatives from government
authorities relevant to the employment sector.
Questionnaires were developed to collect information and data through KII, IDI and FGD. One
questionnaire was developed to collect individual information of workers with disabilities, who were
interviewed and who participated in FGD. Another questionnaire was developed for FGD. A separate
questionnaire was used to collect information from the government stakeholders. Another
questionnaire was focused on the information which was collected from the RMG company or
factory representatives. A checklist was developed to observe the factories accessibility features
(especially the accessibility features, like- availability of ramps, accessible toilets, appropriate place
for lunch, pathway of entrance and exit place etc.)
• Data Collection:

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Through KII, IDI, FGD and observation data were collected during the study period through the
following tools-
a) Focus Group Discussion
b) Key Informant Interview (KII)
c) In Depth Interview (IDI)
d) Observation
a) Focus Group Discussions (FGD)
FGDs were conducted with 3 groups of women workers with disabilities who work in different
garment factories on the facilities they are receiving in RMG workplace, the training related
information, what benefits they are receiving and what other facilities and supports can help
them to be more productive and help them to serve longer in the factory settings etc. The
awareness information of their knowledge on different national level safety schemes (existing
National Toll free Helpline 109, helpline 999 etc.), provision of Safety Committee, the
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committee Sexual Harassment Prevention Committee at factory level etc. were also asked.
b) Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)
KIIs were conducted with the following stakeholder –
i. Key government authorities –
To explore their initiatives taken for the workers with disabilities in RMG sector, especially for
the women with disabilities regarding their accessibility, accessible services, facilities, safety
scheme, accommodation, sexual harassment free environment, financial facilities etc. KII
were also done to understand their interest and commitment to develop mechanism and
regulation for more participation of workers with disabilities in RMG sector. Through these
KIIs the policy and government initiatives were also explored regarding training and capacity
building facilities provided by concern ministries and relevant authorities.
ii. RMG authority representatives (employers, supervisors etc.) –
The RMG representatives were interviewed to understand their understanding on providing
facilities and adapted accessible services to the workers with disabilities in the factory

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settings and explore their commitments and interest in providing working opportunities to
persons with disabilities, especially the women with disabilities.
iii. Labor Unions, RMG labor organization leaders-
Labor unions/RMG labor organization leaders were interviewed to gather information regarding
their initiatives and efforts for the workers with disabilities in the RMG factories or workplace
settings and how they are supporting the workers with disabilities and particularly the women
with disabilities so that they can have sufficient and appropriate accessible and safe
environment (infrastructural and free from sexual harassment) in factories.
c) In-depth Interviews (IDIs)
IDIs were conducted with 51 women workers with disabilities and 3 men workers with disabilities to
explore the actual situation of their status while working in different RMG factories, such as- their
salary, the facilities they are receiving regarding their working place facilities, accommodated or
adapted benefits (like- place for mealtime, free movement, toilet accessibility, working time, bonus,
overtime, medical facilities, availability of ramps/elevators, awareness of other co-workers on
supporting them, accommodation with family /mess / sublet / garment hostel / government hostel /
private hostel / relative residence –these information), capacity building facilities for them, financial
benefits and security, their socio-economic condition, ways to get any help in the emergency
situation, provision of any Women's Repression Prevention Committee or Resistance Cell in factory,
Safety Committee and the participation committee, complaint / advice box at workplace, awareness
on existing National Toll free Helpline 109 and campaign to prevent women and child harassment
(Sexual Harassment Prevention Committee), workers union (trade union) in the factory etc. A
database are maintained to record all the information.
d) Observation:
5 garment factories were observed where workers with different type of disabilities work, particularly
the women with physical disabilities, hearing disabilities work. The accessibility features, like-
availability of ramps, accessible toilets, appropriate place for lunch, pathway of entrance and exit
place, accessible emergency evacuation etc. have been observed as a part of the study.
6. Research Constraints

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In most cases, dropped out women workers with disabilities were difficult to found in the targeted study
area. Only 2 women with disabilities were found who were interviewed. Most of the women workers
with disabilities who could cope up with their job for six months from the beginning they continued their
job in the factory afterwards, and they were not willing to express any problems or disadvantages as
they are concern for their job security.
7. Data processing and analysis
For qualitative data analysis, a database has been developed with all the IDIs with workers with
disabilities based on the developed questionnaire. All the data then analysed to formulate the units of
different criteria’s, like no. of male and female interviewees, no. of interviewees as per types of
disabilities, marital status, joining dates, workers who received joining letters from factories, working
hours, housing cost in average, their living status, their financial facilities like- annual increment,
provision of promotion, their knowledge about the Women's Repression Prevention Committee or
Sexual Harassment Prevention Committee, Safety Committee and the participation committee etc.
The first transcripts of the audio recordings of the interviews were done and then analysed by individual
responses from the workers with disabilities and recorded in the database. Then descriptive analysis was
done.
The KIIs, FGDs were also recorded and then transcripted. Analysis of the findings were done accordingly
and documented.
8. Research Findings
The key findings –
Among 54 workers with disabilities who were interviewed -
• 51 women workers with disabilities and 3 men workers with disabilities were interviewed.
• Only 2 women with disability were found to take interview that was dropped out from a RMG
factory.
• Among 51 women with disabilities those we have interviewed were having 7 hearing disabilities,
2 with low vision and 12 having with speech disabilities, rest were persons with physical
disabilities.
• Among the interviewees 30 married, 9 unmarried and 11 divorced employees.
• 4 workers with disabilities joined before 2008, 47 workers joined in 2018. It can be seen that the
number of workers with disabilities are significantly increasing gradually after the effect of CRPD
ratification in Bangladesh.
• Among 54 interviewees, 32 persons received appointment letter. 19 persons did not receive any
appointment letters.
• Average of 20 workers who works more than 8 hours (excluding Keya garment).
• 40 workers of disabilities received increment after 1 year of joining.
• 31 workers of disabilities know about Women's Repression Prevention Committee or Resistance
Cell.
• 46 workers of disabilities know about Safety Committee and the Participation Committee.

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• 25 workers of disabilities lives with family, 13 lives in sublet, 8 in messes, 4 in factory
dormitories and 1 at relative house.
• The average cost of housing (including food) is 3969 BDT in average (monthly) for 1 employee
from his/her monthly income, which is expensive as per their monthly income.
Other findings –
• Mainstream NGOs who work with garment workers, they still have no database on garments
workers with disabilities, and there is no indicator for persons with disabilities for different
researches and evaluation done by them.
• Sometimes garment factories are willing to recruit persons with hearing disabilities, but their
communication or sign language skill is insufficient or the management authority do not have
any facilities or skills on sign language or alternate communication which can support workers
with hearing disabilities. This is the main reason the factories are expressing as one of the major
barriers in recruiting workers with hearing disabilities. In Keya garments, persons with hearing
disabilities are recruited and they are continuing their works. Now more than 1000 persons with
hearing disabilities are working in Keya cosmetics. Employees with hearing disabilities of Keya
garments did not receive any training before getting their job.
• Most of the employees with disabilities do not have orientation on sexual abuse, harassment,
bad touch etc. Their understanding on sexual harassment is only fixed on rape.
• Some factories have complaint boxes for the workers, but most of the workers with disabilities
never submit any complaint in complaint boxes.
• Safety committees are there, but many of the workers with disabilities do not know,
Participation Committees (PC) is also there.
• No one knows about National Toll free Helpline 109 campaign and also about National helpline
999.
• Most of the workers with disabilities know about the worker leaders but do not know about
workers union.
• Some of the workers with disabilities are aware of NGOs like Centre for the Rehabilitation of
Paralyzed (CRP) who works with women with disabilities and social inclusion issues. Even most
cases they were employed through CRP but they have no contact with other organizations and
their motivations and priorities and information they have are not enough to maintain such
connections.
• Workers with disabilities do not know about sexual harassment prevention committees at
factories.

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• Garment leaders don’t have priority on women with disabilities issues. But they work with
various consortiums and they have connection with them, persons with disabilities went to
these factories several times. But they still do not have agendas and do not try to connect with
women with disabilities.
• BGMEA authority doesn’t know the actual figure of how many persons with disabilities are
working in different factories or in RMG sector.
• “Accord” – European buyers’ forum is working on ensuring safety of the garment factories after
Rana Plaza incident. They only working on fire, electricity safety, earthquake, safety of exit
places/points, but still they are not aware or informed about how the premises or
infrastructure, toilets etc. can be accessible and inclusive for the workers with different types of
disabilities. They still do not plan inclusively and their effort is not addressing to meet up the
standard of inclusiveness.
• There is Bangladesh National Building Code but still there is no gadget which has been
established. It was only drafted in 2015 and was approved in 2017 by the cabinet. As gadget is
still not declared so implementation has not been started yet.
• In the BGMEA compliance checklist, accessibility is not included as an issue. BGMEA people are
saying it is not their issue or concern. They do not prioritize accessibility as an important issue.
But in emergency cases the accessibility is a crucial issue for safety for all workers.
• Department of inspection of factories and establishments do not have any information on such
issues and their checklist only covers physical environment, electricity and structure based
security and safety evacuation only. But these are not inclusive for the workers with disabilities,
and the checklist is not covering the issue of accessibility of persons with disabilities.
• Sexual Harassment directives 2009 established verdict and declared rule by the High Court.
Factory authorities are saying it is there, but the workers with disabilities still do not know about
this. BGMEA mentioned - sexual harassment prevention committee exists, but they have no
information of any incidents yet. They have complaint box at floors, but no one gives any
complaints, suggestion, demand etc. proactively no one uses these boxes.
• There is no code of conduct in factories, some workers received appointment letter but there is
no code of conduct, service rules provided to them. They only were provided instructions
verbally, but the policies were not introduced to them. Workers leaders have Participation
Committees (PC), but the workers with disabilities don’t know what is it and what are their
roles. They see notices on board only. There is no voting system, communication process for PC
among them.
• Women with disabilities come less/very few to work in garments sector or garments factories. It
is less than 1 %. Those who comes, among them, who can exist for 6 months or more than six
months in their job in garments, they do not quit from their job. So in this case, the turn over for
garments workers with disabilities seems to be less. They feel secure and comfortable in their

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job and do not take risk for adaptation. They try their best to cope up with the situation without
any complaint. There was an exception found – a women left her job from garments and joined
another factory as her friend changed factory and she preferred to be with her friend.
• Illness, marriage, having baby or becoming a mother, betrayal of partners, divorce etc. – where
marriage partnership didn’t work, and the women workers with disabilities were struggling and
tried to live independently. 12 divorcees (male, female), 31married persons were found.
• Dropout rate of workers with disabilities in Keya garments was high in 2013-2015. The women
workers with disabilities had dormitory facilities inside the Keya Garment previously. But after
they showed more demands and there were limited scope for working of persons with
disabilities in the factory, the clashes were forming with other non-disabled persons in the
factory environments. Then the factory authority took the decision to send the workers with
disabilities accommodation facilities outside of the premises for safety security due to rising of
the workers movement. So now the workers with disabilities are having fewer facilities. Women
with hearing disabilities are having fewer facilities too. They are divided into different shifts (3
shifts for 8 hours) from 6 am -2pm, 2 pm to 10 pm- 10 pm to 6 am. The night shifts are not
suitable for the women with disabilities for security reasons.
• Safety committee do not know or ever tried to know the problems of the workers with
disabilities, RMG workers with disabilities do not know what to do, where to go, and they have
no linkages with any Disabled Peoples Organizations (DPO)s, The disability service provider
organizations do not know how to deal or help workers with disabilities in a trouble situation
and they do not know how to act. These reflect the problems that the workers do not know how
to avail government services, (like National Helpline number 999) or workers welfare fund etc.
• Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, Department of Women Affairs - runs a hostel for women
at Ashulia. But the hostel has less privacy facilities for women. Good facilities are available in the
hostel. After Rana plaza incident, it was a good initiative taken by government, women
Department of Women. But there is no gas for cooking so girls are not interested to stay there.
Local residents spread negative rumors against the hostel so that they don’t stay at hostel and
go to them to rent houses. The women department will construct 3 more hostels in nearby
places. But it is not a good idea. Satellite hostels can be made where garments factories are
located and where the workers can go by walking (due to walking distances) like- Gazipur,
Konabari, Tongi etc. The living cost is very crucial for them. Good accommodation facilities
provided by government can give them scope to save their income and live a better standard
life.
• In the government women hostel, single mothers (divorcee, widow) have facilities to stay there,
but they are not willing to stay. Design error in infrastructure is a main problem. In the women
hostel, the time restriction hampers their freedom in their personal life.
• Department of Inspection and Establishment (DIFE) have a checklist for infrastructural issues
which has been reviewed but not published. They mentioned, the plan of building is accessible
for persons with disabilities it is not their responsibility. They emphasized that SDG 8 and 16 is
there working areas. They never received any complaints against sexual harassments too from

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any stakeholder as per their claim. But they are one of the major stakeholders who can
contribute strongly in protecting the rights of the workers with disabilities in their accessibility
issues.
• BGMEA has labor section and also provision for worker welfare funds. But not much application
from the workers with disabilities received by BGMEA. But it was observed that there are funds
(in Epyllion garments) to staff welfare, like- a store was named by the first worker of this factory.
They give products at wholesale rate to all workers from this store, so they can save 500-700
taka monthly. They also have trusts to provide stipend to workers children.
• BGMEA welfare fund is used when a workers child get chance in government university or any
good education institute- which is 300000 taka one time allocation.
• Epyllion and Interfeb garments have lots of NGO initiatives – Health program named “Hello”
sponsor- Marks and spencer; WaterAid work - named “Sokhi” (health volunteer on health care
facilities), they aware others on health hygiene.
• Fully compliance garment facilities are adequate and good. Gap between high compliance and
low compliance are huge. As a result variations can be seen in providing facilities for all workers
including workers with disabilities.
• Some garments like Abony, Inter Feb, Epyllion garments provide basic medicines to workers at
free of costs.
• Workers with disabilities, especially women with disabilities do not have any bank account for
savings. They don’t have orientation of having security savings for their future. People marry
them as they earn money, the partners take all the money and using her money in family and
others and the workers with disabilities are kept in pressure. Their economic independence
decision making process is hampered.
• SEIP skill and employment enhancement project for ADP- BGMEA, Bangladesh bank, Labor
ministry, garment employment sector provides skill development training through different
projects to workers who are women with disabilities. Now they are giving quota to women with
disabilities to give them job. But they are also not receiving adequate numbers of persons with
disabilities in actual situation as the information is not disseminated.
9. Recommendations
• BGMEA should have clear guideline to inform all the factories about the dissemination of
information on the existing Sexual Harassment prevention Committee, Participation Committee in
factories, and how the workers with disabilities can access these committees.
• Ministry of Women and Children Affairs need to plan realistically after assessing the situation of
women’s hostel facilities and make a clear realistic plan to build more hostels in nearby adjacent

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areas, where the factories are located. Then more women with disabilities and other women
workers will willingly stay and can save money.
• Factories need to understand what infrastructural adaptation is required to have more workers with
disabilities (especially women with disabilities) at workplace.
• Department of Inspection and Establishment (DIFE) must have policies and guideline to observe
accessibility for the needs of the persons with disabilities at factories and they must inspect the
factories if these are accessible for the workers with disabilities or not.
• The garment factories must be taken under a systematic protocol to provide accessible
infrastructure and services to all workers including women workers with disabilities. And The
Ministry of Labor must have a strong cell to monitor these processes. With ILO, they can come with
a systematic monitoring, inspection protocol and implementation rules and regulation can be
developed and oriented to concern government authority, factories, company representatives and
alliances as well.
• DPOs, NGOs, INGOs need to come forward to work more with Ministry of Labor, ILO, other
government agencies who deal with the garments sector, factories to make a. inclusive workplace
suitable for all workers including persons with disabilities at factories.
• BGMEA must have database of workers with disabilities based on their age, sex, type of disabilities
etc. These database must be kept by the relevant government authorities too.
• The garment authority must provide the information of the existing National Toll free Helpline 109
campaign and also about National helpline 999 among general workers and workers with
disabilities.
• “Accord” and “Alliance” – European buyers forum who are working on ensuring safety of the
garment factories after Rana Plaza incident, they must know about how the premises or
infrastructure, toilets etc. can be accessible and inclusive for the workers with different types of
disabilities.
• Workers union must know how to deal with the issues of workers with disabilities and they need to
be oriented.
• Safety committees must know what is their role in maintain safety for all workers including workers
with disabilities.
• Factories and RMG company owners must have provision to have human resource to support
workers with disabilities in workplace, in case of communication and serving supports etc. like – sign
language interpreters or communication alternatives, counsellor etc.

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• Workers with disabilities, especially women with disabilities need to be oriented about having a
bank account for savings for their security.
• Workers with disabilities, especially women with disabilities must be informed about the BGMEA
labor section which has provision for worker welfare funds so that the workers can apply for
financial supports.
• Quota for persons with disabilities should take place for the investing companies by the Bangladesh
Investment Development Authority.
• Buyers should force to the Bangladeshi companies so that they employ more Persons with
disabilities into their company.
• Government and other UN agencies, ILO must create more opportunities and regulations to train
more women workers with disabilities on different garment related works before their job so that
they can be transferred into skilled human resource and serve better in RMG sector efficiently which
will built their confidence.
10. Conclusion
Bangladesh moves towards less developed to developing country. As a champion in achieving MDGs
Bangladesh set high target to achieve remarkable success in SDGs. To cater this path and make persons
with disabilities as a potential workforce participation in industrial sector will bring a significant change
among the marginalized. The finding of the study will be used in advocacy activities for the relevant
government officials, NGOs, Private Sectors Representatives, BEPZA, Different DPOs, Government,
BGMEA, BKMEA, Accord, Alliance, NGOs, INGOs, CSOs, Research Organizations, Several University
Faculties, Ministry of Labor and Employment, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Department of
Women Affairs, Ministry of Industry, Labor Unions, Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Bangladesh
Industrial Development Authority, BSCIC, MoWCA, Dept. of Women Affairs, ILO, INGOs, NGOs etc.