COURSE CODE: HRM 524

COURSE NAME- INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

SUMMER - 2023
SECTION: 01
Assignment on Writing “Child workers in the Garments Industry of Bangladeshi”
Submitted To
Noor Elahi Ali Shibly
Adjunct Faculty
East West University

SUBMITTED BY
Name Student ID

Tanjina Kabir 2022-3-95-062

Date of Submission: 19-07-2023

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Table of Contents
Introduction: ................................................................................................................................................. 3
Definition of Child Labour:....................................................................................................................... 4
CHILD LABOUR SITUATION IN BANGLADESH .......................................................................... 4
Causes of Child Labor in RMG Sector: .................................................................................................. 6
• Culture and Tradition: ............................................................................................................................ 6
• Political and Economic Context of Bangladesh's Child Labor Market: ...................................... 6
• Insufficient Compliance with Labour Laws :..................................................................................... 7
• Guidelines for Bribery and Inappropriate Protection Corruption: .............................................. 7
Conclusion & Recommendation: ............................................................................................................. 8

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Introduction:
In recent years, structural changes and macroeconomic stabilization measures that have prioritized
exports have led to heightened visibility of and controversy surrounding the practice of child labor.
As a direct consequence of the tremendous worldwide competitiveness in the carpets, textiles,
garments, and shoe and leather goods industries, the employment of hundreds upon thousands of
children in conditions that are sometimes very deplorable has been made possible. However,
youngsters are employed in a variety of different fields; therefore, the sectors focused on export
may represent only the proverbial tip of the iceberg.
Child employment, particularly in its most abusive forms, is detrimental to children's physical and
mental health as well as their overall well-being. It is widely acknowledged as a significant barrier
to the progress that developing nations have made towards economic growth. When parents choose
to send their children to work instead of to school, their educational opportunities are cut short,
and as a result, their future career opportunities, particularly those that pay well, are limited.
Documents of international law, most notably those included by the International Labor
Organization (ILO), provide that governments must protect children's rights. The United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF) differentiates between working children and exploiting children via
the practice of child employment. It's not always a horrible thing to watch a kid get their hands
dirty. Apprenticeship programmes may be a great way for young adults to gain a feeling of
responsibility while also gaining work experience. The activities that are done for a child's growth,
on the one hand, and exploitation, on the other, are two quite different things. The work that
youngsters do can have both positive and negative effects on their development. Unfortunately, it
is not always simple to create a clear line of demarcation between labor that is beneficial to children
and labor that is harmful to children. Organization (ILO), the issue of child work should be
addressed, and demands should be made to eliminate its worst manifestations. In spite of efforts
undertaken on a global and national scale, the employment of children in labor-intensive industries
continues to be widespread and, in many cases, socially acceptable, particularly in some
developing nations. Bangladesh is one of the countries that still faces the difficulty of having a
large number of children working in situations that are deemed to be child labor. This problem is
especially prevalent in the country's garment industry. The most important factor is low income.
Over the course of the past few years, Bangladesh has responded to the problem with a variety of
responses, including legal responses.

This paper will lead to the information available on the current condition of child labor in
the RMG sector as well as the legal framework that is in place regarding child labor issues.
If this is the case, then it will show that Bangladesh's legal and policy frameworks still have
some room for improvement.

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Definition of Child Labour:
The use of children as labourers is a worldwide issue. The appointment of children in any task that
takes away the maximum of their rights as children, such as the ability to attend normal school and
the right to have their mental and physical development go uninterrupted, is what is meant when
we talk about "child labour." "Child labour" is defined as employment that exceeds a minimal
number of hours, which varies based on the age of the child and the nature of work. This definition
comes from UNICEF. This kind of labour is seen to be detrimental to the development of the child
and needs to be discontinued as a result. At least one hour of economic labour or 28 hours of
domestic work must be completed each week for children ages 5 to 11. Between the ages of 12
and 14, a minimum of 14 hours of economic labour or 28 hours of domestic work must be
completed each week. Between the ages of 15 and 17, at least 43 hours of economic or household
activity must be completed each week.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has observed that human trafficking, slavering,
armed combat, debt bondage, sexual exploitation, and hazardous employment constitute the worst
forms of labour. Estimating the number of youngsters who are employed in different parts of the
world is a challenging endeavor. The practice of using minors to carry out labour that may be
hazardous or dangerous in any way is seen as exploitative by a significant number of international
organizations. Numerous organisations that focus on social welfare and human rights have been
putting in a lot of effort to lessen the prevalence of child labour in different parts of the world.

CHILD LABOUR SITUATION IN BANGLADESH:

According to the findings of several statistical studies, it is not uncommon for children in
Bangladesh to be forced to labour to contribute financially to their family's farms or businesses. In
2002/2003, 7.4 million children aged 5 to 17 were working children in this nation, out of which
3.2 million were working in conditions that may be characterised as child labour, according to the
findings of the most thorough statistical research that has been undertaken on this problem to date
in this country.16 The poll also indicated that 1.3 million youngsters worked in dangerous
occupations.
The most recent estimates of child work worldwide suggest that the agricultural sector is home to
seventy percent, or 112 million, of the world's total child labour. When sub-Saharan Africa is
considered, this ratio jumps up to 82%. Younger children, who are more susceptible to the adverse
effects of the physical demands and risks of farm work, are disproportionately likely to be
employed as child labourers in agricultural settings.
There are two main ILO Conventions that directly address child employment: Convention 138 on
the minimum age for work and Convention 182 on eradicating the worst kinds of child labour. The
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) forbids child labour, and both of
these conventions may be found on the International Employment Organization's website. In

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addition to the existing international legal framework, the international community has established
SDG goal 8.7, which requires governments to put an end to all kinds of child labour by the year 2025.
According to International Labour Organization Convention 182 on the Worst Types of Child
Labour, which was globally approved in 2020, one of the most dangerous types of child labour is
the manufacturing of cotton since children are forced to labour in conditions where they are
exposed to poisonous pesticides. Children who work in the cotton industry run the danger of being
subjected to toxic chemicals, being isolated, experiencing extreme temperatures, and being
attacked by insects and other animals, all of which can have major negative effects on their health.
It is essential to pay special attention to some conclusions of the study about the circumstance of
youngsters who are not attending school. Compared to other developing nations, Bangladesh has
a startlingly high rate of children who are engaged outside their families, either as paid employees,
domestic workers, apprentices, or as self-employed adults among these youngsters. The typical
hours worked each week by people aged 7 to 14 who are paid employees or domestic workers is
greater than hours. Children who are not enrolled in school are more likely to work long hours
than those who are. This is especially true in the industrial and service industries, where children
often put in more than hours of labour each week on average. In light of this, employment in the
agriculture industry requires far less time.

According to reports, textile workers in Bangladesh are subjected to dangerous settings and
exploitative working conditions. For example, incidents have been documented in which the
escape doors of factories or workplaces have been shut, which has frequently resulted in large
mortality counts when accidents occur. Although earnings were sometimes higher than the
minimum necessary wages due to shortages of skilled labour, it has been claimed that garment
manufacturers often compel workers to work overtime, postpone their pay, and deny them full-
leave benefits. This is even though skilled labour shortages occasionally caused wages to be higher
than the minimum required rates. These working conditions led to friction between garment
workers and employers, which in turn led to frequent conflicts and violent demonstrations. As a
result of this tension, there were periodic clashes and violent demonstrations.

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Causes of Child Labor in RMG Sector:

• Culture and Tradition:

Sometimes the culture of a country condones the practice of using children in labour.
Because we back the kind of work that society also acknowledges as legitimate.

• Political and Economic Context of Bangladesh's Child Labor Market:

H&M, Zara, GAP, and SHEIN are household names in fast fashion, and almost everyone
has either shopped at one of these stores or at least heard of them. Brands are under
increasing pressure to maintain a continuous manufacturing cycle due to the growing
demand. Many firms resort to using children to keep their production costs down so they
can keep up with the high turnover of their products. The capitalist economic system, which
encourages businesses to compete with one another, is a major contributor to this
phenomenon. Less developed nations are frequently the locations from which businesses
outsource their labour to other countries. In this article, Bangladesh will serve as the major
focus of our attention. According to Section 34 of the legislation of Bangladesh, minors
who have not yet reached the age of 14 are not permitted to be employed in the country.
13.4% of children between the ages of 5 and 14 are still working, despite the fact that there
are institutional obstacles in place that are designed to safeguard against this.
The fast fashion supply chains that are the primary drivers of the textile sector in
Bangladesh employ a sizable chunk of Bangladesh's 13.4% labour force. According to
reports from UNICEF, these supply chains benefit from the low level of competence that
is necessary in addition to the cheap salaries that are sought by the children working in
them. We are going to investigate how the children, their families, and capitalists work
together and how they compete with one another in that specific market.
This is especially the case considering that the fast fashion industry is commonly viewed
as an oligopoly dominated by four major players: Zara, H&M, Gap, and Uniqlo.
Oligarchies typically cooperate or compete with one another. Because fashion capitalists
often compete based on style and comfort, competition makes more sense in this industry,
and fashion companies seek to reduce their labour expenses. They have a propensity to use
children as labourers because the attractiveness of employing children resides in both the
low cost and the 'irreplaceable abilities' that youngster possess. These capitalists, who are
largely situated in wealthy nations, tend to outsource their labour needs to less developed
countries, which have fewer laws against child labour that are implemented and where the
costs of doing so are lower.

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• Insufficient Compliance with Labour Laws :
The current state of law and order is to blame for the lax enforcement of employment legislation.
There have been laws passed to prevent children from being forced into labour, but these laws
cannot be enforced for various reasons. Law enforcement agencies are not following the rules now
in place because of widespread corruption and bribery. Employers are giving bribes to ensure that
the working environment is not disrupted.

• Guidelines for Bribery and Inappropriate Protection Corruption:

In a nation like Bangladesh, the execution of labour laws is hampered by the existence of inadequate
protective guidelines for minors. There are a lot of youngsters who are allowed to work by their
parents so that they may contribute to the family income, and this is very common. They do not
consider it unusual for children that young to have jobs. In addition, because of the internal
movement that takes place from one location within the nation to another, many parents are forced
into difficult financial crises, which also leads to children having to go to work for the purpose of
surviving. Many youngsters are forced into the workforce due to the lack of suitable recreational
facilities. Some children start working at a young age because there aren't enough schools, the
curriculum isn't very good, the teachers don't properly nurture and care for the students, there isn't
much of a correlation between education and a child's ability to make a living via education, and it
takes a long time to complete an education. One further thing to consider is the fact that many
individuals in our nation employ minors in violation of the labour laws, but there is no penalty for
doing so since there are no such regulations. The government has passed a large number of laws,
but they are not being enforced. Despite the fact that this does not constitute a cause of child labour,
the fact that this regulation is not being implemented encourages employers to make use of child
labour in the production of their goods or in the operation of their enterprises. In conclusion, it is
possible to state that although extreme poverty is the primary reason why children are forced to
work, there are many other factors that contribute to the problem as well.

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Conclusion & Recommendation:

To get rid of this kind of situation, if the RMG sector continues child labour work, at least
Bangladesh labour-law can do these things to prevent this situation: free and compulsory primary
education for all children, the implementation of part-time income-generating schemes, the
development of the technical and managerial capacity of those involved in the rehabilitation of
child labour, the strengthening of institutional capacity through the form of organization
development, research for the purpose of combating child labour, and awareness raising and social
mobilization. As a result, people who determine policy and those who work for non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) should concentrate their efforts on regions that have a relatively low number
of students enrolled in schools.

References:

https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/stories/are-clothes-you-are-wearing-free-
child-labour_en
https://www.childhope.org.uk/our-work/projects/children-of-bangladeshi-garment-workers/
https://thehimalayantimes.com/opinion/bangladeshs-garment-industry-child-labour-options
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275349072_Child_Labor_in_Bangladesh
https://www.rebellionresearch.com/what-is-the-current-scenario-of-child-labor-in-bangladesh
https://thehimalayantimes.com/opinion/bangladeshs-garment-industry-child-labour-options