Bangladesh
People's Republic of Bangladesh │ গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ
Population
Total 165,158,616 (2022)Gross Domestic Product
GDP per Capita (constant USD, thousand) 2,687 (2022)Human Development Index Ranking
HDI Rank (out of 191 countries) 129 (2021)
Garment/Textile Workers
Number of workers in the garment/textile sector 4,000,000 (2019)Women Workers in the Garment/Textile Industry
Percentage of women workers employed in the garment/textile industry 60.5% (2018)Number of Garment/Textile Factories
Number of factories in the garment/textile industry 4621 (2019)Garment/Textile Industry Exports
(USD$ billion) USD 42.613 billion (2022)Garment/Textile Industry Size
Percentage of total exports 81.82% (2022)Key Garment/Textile Export Markets
Top five countries ($USD value exported and subsequent percentage)| Country | Percentage of Exports |
|---|---|
| United States | 21.2% |
| Germany | 16.8% |
| United Kingdom | 10.6% |
| Spain | 7.1% |
| France | 5.6% |
Government Entities
Government agencies actively involved in the garment/textile industryMinistry of Labour and Employment
Ministry of Commerce
Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE)
Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE)
Worker Organizations
Trade unions, Union federations, and other worker organizationsNational Coordination Committee on Workers Education (NCCWE)
IndustriAll Bangladesh Council (IBC)
Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation
Employer/Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce
Employers and industry related associations, private sectors associations and chambers of commerceBangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA)
Bangladesh Employers' Federation (BEF)
Development Agencies/ International Organizations
National and international development organizations working within the garment/textile industry- GIZ FABRIC Asia
- Decent Work in Garment Supply Chains Asia (ILO)
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
Better Work Bangladesh (BWB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
UNICEF
UNWomen
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Civil Society Organizations/ Non-governmental Organizations
Organizations working within the garment/textile industryAwaj Foundation
Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)
CARE Bangladesh
Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)
Fairwear Foundation
Oxfam International
Plan International
Solidarity Center
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
Sources of data provided
- Population:
- GDP Per Capita:
- HDI:
- Garment / Textile Workers:
- Women Workers in the Garment /Textile Industry:
- Number of Garment / Textile Factories: , page 47
- Garment / Textile Industry Exports:
- Garment / Textile Industry Size:
- Key Garment / Textile Export Market:
- Environment
- Social & Labour
- Gender ILO calculation based on labour force survey in Bangladesh 2017 Q1 & 2017Q2
What's going on in Bangladesh?
Smita Nimilita is the country representative for HERproject in Bangladesh. We speak to her about the current situation in the RMG sector, the importance of creating equal pathways for women to participate in decision and policy making, and the benefits that wage digitization can bring to workers and factories.
News on Bangladesh
Lack of will to eliminate child labour deplorable
An increase in child labour, with thousands engaged in hazardous sectors, as the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics says, suggests that the economic growth has not been inclusive. The National Child Labour Survey 2022 and Establishment-Based Sector Wise Working Children Survey 2023, prepared by the national statistical office and made public on March 14, paint a bleak picture. Read MoreRMG workers’ average wage falls by 4.6pc: study
The study titled ‘Wage Trends: Bangladesh’ conducted by the Fair Labor Association, an international network of apparel companies, universities, and civil society organisations, that promote human rights for workers around the world, found that the garment workers’ wages have barely increased since 2019, despite high inflation. Read MoreExperts highlight benefits of solar power for Bangladesh industries
During a recent event, experts highlighted the declining cost of rooftop solar units, stating industries can benefit significantly from the same. Read More