Health Issues of Female Garment Workers: Evidence from Bangladesh

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Published: Jul 3, 2018
Keywords:
Readymade garment industry; female workers; physical health; psychological health; causes; Bangladesh

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Shohel Mahmud
Department of Sociology, Mangalore University, India
Vinay Rajath D.
Department of Sociology, Mangalore University, India
Rayhan Mahmud
Department of Business Administration, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh
Mst. Nusrat Jahan
Department of Food and Nutrition, National College of Home Economics, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Readymade garment industry is the most crucial export earning industry in Bangladesh. Currently, around 4.5 million workers, of whom 80 percent is female, are working in the industry. Due to the poor working environment and arduous nature of the job, women workers in the industry are vulnerable to diverse physical and psychological health hazards. In the study to explore the health issues, a questionnaire was carried out among 360 female workers of the garment industry. We found respectively 88 percent, 75 percent and 55 percent participants were suffering from headache, hand pain and respiratory complications due to the nature of work, working posture and, dust and chemicals, while 69 percent participants reported experiencing depression. The causes identified for physical health hazards were uncomfortable sitting arrangements (79%) and noise (75%), while fear of accidents (75%) was found to be the main reason for psychological troubles.

Article Details

How to Cite
Mahmud, S., Rajath D., V., Mahmud, R., & Jahan, M. N. (2018). Health Issues of Female Garment Workers: Evidence from Bangladesh. Journal of Population and Social Studies [JPSS], 26(3), 181–194. Retrieved from https://so03.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jpss/article/view/102032
Issue
Vol. 26 No. 3 (2018): July - September
Section
Research Articles
Author Biography

Shohel Mahmud, Department of Sociology, Mangalore University, India

Corresponding author

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