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Hands Operating Sewing Machine, image by Furkan Isik via Pexels
Despite Bangladesh being a key player in the international fashion supply chain, the nation faces scrutiny for widespread incidents of labour rights violations. These incidents come to light due to recent reports of ongoing worker exploitation, including elements of underpayment, excessive working hours, and unsafe working conditions, in addition to the minimum oversight implemented in the operational part of the industry.
Having once overcome the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza building, where thousands were injured and more than 1,100 garment workers were killed, as well as a deadly fire in the Tazreen Fashions Factory, the evident systemic regulation gaps still reflect an evident lack of corporate regulation (Amnesty International, 2024). Even though there is an international movement to strengthen the protection of labour rights, the garment industry in Bangladesh remains plagued by systemic labour rights violations. Despite being recognized as a vital component of the global fashion supply chain, underlying challenges remain, such as excessive working hours, abusive practices, and underpayment situations being in place (GoodWeave, 2024). Additionally, the international practice of the brand’s relentless demand for rapid, low-cost production has only worsened these issues. This can be seen in the study coordinated between the Bangladesh Labour Foundation, GoodWeave International, and the University of Nottingham published in 2025, in which the situation of garment workers was highlighted (Financial Times, 2025). This study indicated that in addition to underpayment, these workers are facing excessive working hours and corporate abuse whilst working in an industry that brings the most revenue to Bangladesh (Amnesty International, 2024).
These customary practices of the garment industry, combined with minimal oversight, make subcontracted factories breeding grounds for the infringement of labour rights. To address these issues, there is a heightened need for transparent and equitable wage practices to be implemented within the garment industry in Bangladesh (Amnesty International, 2024). The national tension was raised when a large-scale demonstration broke out in late 2023 when garment workers demanded that the minimum wage be raised from 8,300 takas (which is comparable to EUR 65,26) to 23,000 takas (which is equivalent to EUR 180,85) to address the inflation situation (Mundy, 2025). Violent clashes and fatalities ensued before the government ultimately announced a new minimum wage of 12,500 takas (which is equivalent to EUR 98,29) in December 2023 (Mundy, 2025). However, worker dissatisfaction lingers as inflation continues to erode the market.
To ensure sustainable and ethical supply chains, collaborative action from global brands, local manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and labour unions is essential. In combination with the increasing international pressure, systemic reforms strengthening transparency and accountability can bring meaningful change in one of the world’s largest garment-exporting nations.
Sources and further readings:
Amnesty International. (2024, May 6). Garment workers must receive rights-based compensation and Justice immediately. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/05/bangladesh-garment-workers-must-receive-rights-based-compensation-and-justice-immediately/
Mundy, S. (2025a, February 12). Abuses lurk deep in fashion supply chain. Subscribe to read. https://www.ft.com/content/3fb4043b-19af-4a28-bde6-78d1d7d120eb
Goodweave releases videos on workplace rights for Bangladesh Garment Workers. GoodWeave. (n.d.-c.). https://goodweave.org/goodweave-releases-videos-on-workplace-rights-for-bangladesh-garment-workers/
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