Bangladeshi Garment Industry Welfare Policies and Employee Satisfaction: An Empirical Study

Bangladeshi Garment Industry Welfare Policies and Employee Satisfaction: An Empirical Study

¹Md. Raisul Islam, ²Md. Tofayel Hossain, ³Shuvo Kumar Mallik, ⁴M Abeedur Rahman

¹Associate Professor, Department of Law and Land Administration, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh

²Department of Sociology, Cumilla Victoria Govt. College, Cumilla, Chattogram, Bangladesh

³Department of Economics, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

⁴Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.915EC0020

Received: 17 February 2025; Revised: 26 February 2025; Accepted: 01 March 2025; Published: 01 April 2025

ABSTRACT

The study explores workers perspectives of the welfare data as prescribed in the Bangladesh Labor Act 2006. It is to answer two questions primarily: Are labor welfare policies under this law meaningful in their impact on workers? If so, how fully are these policies enforced in the Bangladeshi global garment supply chain industry? Binary Logistic Regression is used in the study to investigate the garment workers’ perception of a negative or positive influence of welfare facilities on their overall job satisfaction. Data were collected from compliant and export-oriented factories in three Upazilas, namely Savar, Ashulia (Dhaka District), and Gazipur Sadar (Gazipur District), Bangladesh between July and August 2021. Results show that things that help worker satisfaction among workers are facilities like overtime benefits, medical services, safety measures, toilets, and lunch and day care services. As the country settings are relatively similar in terms of socio-economic status and geography, the findings of this study can be extended to garment manufacturing industries in other South Asian countries. It is an indication of workers’ sentiment toward welfare provisions. The study’s findings can guide stakeholders on how to provide more effective interventions on either side of the labor welfare space.

Keywords: Labor policies, Labor welfare, Labor satisfaction, Garments- manufacturing industry, Bangladesh

INTRODUCTION

One of the vital components of the garment production industry of Bangladesh is labor welfare. Corporate wellness is a collective of people, policies and programs dedicated to creating a happier, healthier workforce across a variety of different corporate health initiatives. The origin of labor welfare is social welfare, encompassing human resources welfare and well-being within an organization. In fact, labor welfare benefits fall into two broad categories: internal and external benefits (Patro, 2012). Internal benefits include canteen services, provision of drinking water, medical facilities and provision of workers toilets in the organization, while external benefits include providing transportation services, childcare, sports facilities and housing outside the organization. Such treatment raises workers’ morale and encourages the workforce to make positive contributions to their respective companies (Wolf et al., 2022). It motivates workers and facilitates favorable industrial relations (Alam et al., 2020). Additionally, it plays a vital role in the sustainability of organizations (Nusrat & Solaiman, 2016). Normalized order and peace will be the core of provision of labor welfare activities that serve the purpose of enhancing the productivity of a labor force and tie them to boundary conditions of systems (Alam et al., 2020). Stakeholder theory posits that workers’ interests are important in maximizing organizational profit (Demetriou et al., 2021). In reference to welfare of employees, in a study (Nusrat & Solaiman, 2016) conducted in Chittagong, Bangladesh, it was observed that in few of the industries the welfare facilities are quite good. However, the same study raised some issues like recreational activities, medical services, hygiene facilities, and the performance incentives, which are still challenges for the long-term sustainability of the sector in Bangladesh. Even labor welfare practices are not practiced as per expectations in the other region of Bangladesh (Islam et al., 2020). Rather than improving, these policies are getting worse. The particular problems with this involve inadequate enforcement mechanisms for labor welfare development according to the labor law in Bangladesh (Syed, 2020). There are, indeed, provisions for many welfare facilities under Chapter 8, Bangladesh Labor Act 2006 (BLA 2006) (Sections 89-99 BLA, 2006) but there are few or no fines, imprisonment, or other sanctions for violations of provision of National Labor Law (Sections 89-99 BLA, 2006). Furthermore, there are not enough inspection mechanisms to provide effective enforcement of the labor law (Caro et al., 2021).

Theories on labor welfare policies stress the importance of not just policy formation but also effective implementation (Rana, 2014). Another one of the labor welfare theories, called “policing theory,” proposes that people are selfish and self-centered and always trying to achieve their own ends at the expense of others’ welfare (Mukherjee & Basu, 2020). According to this theory, in the absence of external compulsion, the employer does not offer even the most elementary welfare benefits to its workers. However, in Bangladesh the situation of garment workers is still in doubt due to a lack of welfare policies (Siddique, 2020; Kayam, 2019) and there is difficulty in accessing their economic and social rights. The Bangladesh Labor Act provides medical (healthcare) benefits for all garment workers [Section 79 (c), 89 (5) (6) (7) BLA 2006], but garment workers are not enjoying these rights adequately.

These policies must be strictly adhered to, so that workers receive their due protections in the economy and society. Thus, this research intends to answer the following research questions:

• Do welfare policies under the labor law really matter to garment production workers?
• To what degree are these policies being implemented to enhance worker well-being, as per the workers themselves?

Bangladesh Labor Law: Provisions on Labor Welfare Policy

Under the Bangladesh Labor Act 2006, there are several provisions dedicated to the welfare of the workers (Sections 89-99, BLA 2006). “Such as first-aid facilities to the industrial establishments in India that have a minimum number of employees 150 as per the Indian law, they have to provide that for their workers” In addition, establishments with 300 or more workers must have a medical practitioner, nursing staff, a sick room, and a dispensary. Furthermore, any factory with 5,000 or more workers is required to provide a permanent medical Centre [Section 89(2), BLA 2006]. In the aftermath of the catastrophic Rana Plaza collapse and Tazreen Fashions fire that killed thousands of workers and injured many others (Ullah, 2022; Quilich & Rodriguez, 2015), the Bangladesh Labor Act 2006 was revised in 2013. Those amendments were geared at bettering worker safety, welfare provisions (Syed & Aykra, 2022). The law requires that every establishment with more than 25 employees must hold a record book for safety and should install a safety display information field as per the regulations that was enacted in 1984 under Section 90, BLA 2006. Additionally, safety committees must be established and sustained at every factory employing 50 or more workers in the garment sector (Section 90A, BLA 2006). It also provides for the supply of personal protective equipment (s78A, (BLA 2006)). Also, workers need uninterrupted and sufficient washing and bathing facilities both for men and women, which are to be kept clean and readily accessible at all times (Section 91, BLA 2006). Section 92 of BLA 2006 mandates that establishments with 100 or more employees must provide canteens, with housing furniture and other requisite supplies that meet specific standards. Likewise, garment factories with 50 or more workers should provide adequate and appropriate toilets for workers [Section 93(1), BLA 2006]. These toilets must be properly lit, ventilated, sanitary and fit for the purpose, and maintained at a comfortable temperature [Section 93(2), BLA 2006]. Section 93(1) of the Bangladesh Labor Act mandates provisions for a designated lunchroom with access to clean drinking water for all employees working in a workplace of 50 or more employees (BLA 2006). • The lunchroom should be adequately lighted, and ventilated, and kept at a proper temperature [Section 93(2), BLA 2006]. Additionally, a provision of the law mandates that every factory employing 40 or more female workers must be equipped with one or more childcare rooms for children below the age of six years [Section 94(1), BLA 2006]. BLA 2006, Section 94(2): Such childcare facilities shall be clean, well-ventilated and well maintained and shall be supervised by a trained caregiver. They also must be readily accessible to mothers and located away from hazardous factories, noise, or other contaminants [Section 94(3), BLA 2006]. Rooms must also be constructed from heat-resistant materials [s 94(4), BLA 2006] and be provided with adequate lighting, air circulation and fresh air [s 94(6), BLA 2006]. Childcare facilities must have appropriate toys [Section 94(7), BLA 2006] and an adequately fenced, shaded space for outdoor play for older children [Section 94(8), BLA 2006].

In workplaces with a minimum of 100 permanent employees, employers must also provide a compulsory group insurance policy (Section 99, BLA 2006). In light of these legal requirements, the garment supply chain employers are likely to adhere to the obligations established in BLA 2006, offering appropriate worker benefits, facilities, and services. Data-driven up to October 2023 You May Also Like the Welcoming of the ESG Era the Era of ESG in Business: World Companies Set to “Change” the Industry With these expectations, this study draws a selection of key welfare factors from BLA 2006 to examine the extent to which these welfare policies are effectively implemented in the garment sector and to what extent they are effective.

Labor Welfare Conceptual Framework

Labor welfare continues to support people from other areas of life and living; this includes healthcare systems, safety programs, educational assistance, infrastructure systems, and business financial aid (Figure 1). Several of the welfare provisions are already in the Bangladesh Labor Law. Yet, the effort to implement labor welfare provisions actually is not effective in real life. The labor law does not provide strong enforcement of welfare policies, other than the punishment, refund, or imprisonment of the offenders (Figure 1).

Fig. 1 Conceptual framework for improving labor welfare

It is anticipated that doctor and nurse service, medical equipment, sickroom with primary medical drugs, and permanent medical center are important to the workers’ well-being. In addition, healthcare services or educational circles can provide workers with the correct safety work guidelines, which are also a part of labor welfare. Aid to workers can also enable them and their children to access education, which in turn helps raise their standard of living. Education, therefore, is a key tool to acquire knowledge, gain skills, and improve access to information, which would also help in labor welfare. so, giving workers the opportunity to learn new skills is a key social and economic step you can take towards making them well. It is found that the garment workers in Bangladesh work day and night to have a meal (Al Mamun & Haque, 2022; Syed, 2020b; Islam, 2019). But many have underemployment that does not cover their economic needs (Sen et al., 2020). Hence, the labor law (Section 141, BLA 2006) for the given industry may expectedly be implemented as a means of protecting the workers’ welfare by establishing a minimum wage standard. Furthermore, ensuring that overtime payments as mandated in law (Section 108, BLA 2006) are followed can be another important step to promote their well-being. In practice, though, most workers don’t get paid for those hours done outside of their standard work schedule at overtime pay (Anar, 2020).

Fair and timely wages enable workers themselves to afford essential household items, enjoy leisure activities, visit tourist destinations and enjoy entertainment with family and friends. In addition, between organization at the ‘intramural’ services are guaranteed, such as canteens, restrooms, washing and bathing facilities and ‘extramural’ services, such as housing, transport, children’s education on sports facilities, interest-free loans (Patro, 2012). In practice, the labor welfare facilities can be divided in to three categories: economic services, recreational services and essential facilities. Thus, appointment and proper functioning of welfare officers can substantially promote workers wellbeing. Yet, basing our actions only on the provisions of labor law may not be the best way to provide everything. However, other factors, such as the age of the workers, work experience, the number of dependents, and the number of earning members in a family, must be critically analyzed in developing a conceptual framework for the labor welfare (Figure 1). Age is a major variable that is highly associated with work experience (Mahmud & Hilton, 2020). Since older people acquire experience with age, they are likely to have an increasing insight into welfare utility. Important too is the composition of a worker’s family in terms of dependents. More dependents can place a bigger financial burden and reduce welfare. On the other hand, the more earning members in a family, the more these responsibilities are shared, improving welfare for workers.

METHODS

Target Group

Bangladesh garment industry employs full time workers in three divisions, designated by ‘A’ (large), ‘B’ (medium) and ‘C’ (small) industry. This study emphasized on the Divisions ‘A’ and ‘B’ which are dedicated to 100% export-oriented. The research does not include smaller and subcontracted organizations

Time and Study Location

This study was performed during July–August 2021, in three sub-districts including Savar and Ashulia (Dhaka District) and Gazipur Sadar (Gazipur District), Bangladesh. These locations were selected because these are industrial hubs of the Bangladeshi garment industry.

Sampling Technique

In those cases, there was no exhaustive list of garment workers. So, data were collected using a convenience sampling technique (CST) Other scholars have similarly applied CST in order to examine workers’ job satisfaction in Bangladesh (Syed & Mahmud, 2022; Syed, 2020a, b, c).

Data Collection

A survey was conducted in the form of a structured questionnaire, with the aid of a face-to-face interview with workers to collect primary data. A draft questionnaire was developed and pre-tested prior to data collection. Appropriate changes were done based on the pre-testing, and the final version was used for the survey.

The data, therefore, is primarily on: (i) Demographic status of respondents, (ii) Economic status of respondents, (iii) Workers’ perceptions about welfare provisions under Labor Law of Bangladesh.

Construction of Dependent Variable

A 5-point Likert scale, as utilized in several prior studies (Syed & Mahmud, 2022; Syed, 2020a, b, c), was used to gauge the views of workers as to how job satisfaction enhances their job experience. Using the 5-point Likert scale, the worker satisfaction of the welfare benefit (Based on the Labor Law enshrined in South Korea) created the welfare index of this study. This index was classified from ten welfare indicators regarding the national Labor Law. Respondents were asked what their position on 10 statements about welfare would be, found in Table 2. Each response from the respondent was scored as follows: Strongly Agree (SA) = 5; Agree (A) = 4; Neutral (N) = 3; Disagree (DA) = 2; and Strongly Disagree (SDA) = 1. As a result, the overall welfare score of each worker was on a scale from 10 to 50 points. Satisfied employees were coded as “1” if they scored 30 (60%) or more among the 208 respondents. Scores of less than 30 were coded as “0”. A robust economic rank was given a score classification similar to that used in other studies classifying satisfactory performance (Mahmudet al., 2020).

Ethical Issues

Various ethical considerations like time flexibility for respondents, response confidentiality, and privacy during data collection was ensured. Participants could opt out of answering any question. If during the interview they felt uneasy, they could opt out at any moment. Participants were informed of the nature and procedure of the interview before conducting the interviews. They were also guaranteed that their identities will not be revealed at any point of time, other than to the researcher.

Analytical Techniques

This study had used a Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) technique for the analysis of workers opinion on welfare benefits offered by garment industries. It should be emphasized that BLR is applicable only when the dependent variable is binary (Mahmud & Hilton, 2020; Kabir et al., 2021; Mahmud et al., 2014b). The BLR was used in this study to assess the employees ‘ satisfaction with existing welfare systems provided by the organization. The model can be defined like this:

Ln[Pi∕(1 − Pi)] = C +𝛽1X1 + 𝛽2X2 + 𝛽3X3 +𝛽4X4 + 𝛽5X5 + 𝛽6X6

+𝛽7X7 + 𝛽8X8 + 𝛽9X9 + 𝛽10X10 + 𝛽11X11 +𝛽12X12 + 𝛽13X13 + 𝛽14X14

+𝛽15X15 + 𝛽16X16 + 𝛽17X17 + 𝜇

Where:

• P(i) represents the probability that a worker is satisfied.
• 1 – P(i) represents the probability that a worker is not satisfied.
• X1 = Work experience of the worker (in years).
• X2 = Age of the worker (in years).
• X3 = Education level of the worker (in years).
• X4 = Number of family members of the worker.
• X5 = Number of earning members in the worker’s household.
• X6 = Monthly salary of the worker (in BDT).
• X7 = Overtime hours received by the worker (hours/month).
• X8 = Total number of medical benefits received by the worker.
• X9 = Number of welfare benefits provided by the welfare office.
• X10 = Number of safety measures provided by the safety committee.
• X11 = Availability of washing and bathing facilities for workers.
• X12 = Availability of a canteen facility for workers (Dummy variable: Yes = 1, No = 0).
• X13 = Number of restrooms available for workers.
• X14 = Availability of a lunchroom with drinking water facilities for workers (Dummy variable: Yes = 1, No = 0).
• X15 = Number of restrooms available for female workers.
• X16 = Availability of a childcare room for female workers’ children (Dummy variable: Yes = 1, No = 0).
• X17 = Availability of group insurance benefits for workers (Dummy variable: Yes = 1, No = 0).
• C = Constant in Equation 1.
• β(i) = Coefficient of the independent variable i.
• ε = Error term in Equation 1.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Garment Workers: Understanding Their Socio-Economic Status

Garment factory owners usually prefer to engage young and energetic workers as work in those factories is physically demanding. In addition, this study shows that the workers sampled are fairly young, with an average age of 27.20 years (Table 1). Most garment workers are women but women are passive and reluctant to voice their opinions. Consequently, the law allowed a slightly lower participation of female workers than men. In this study, 47.6% of patients were female and 52.4% were male (Table 1).In developing countries such as Bangladesh, garment workers are often lower educated (Syed & Mahmud, 2022). This study also finds that the workers have less education. The average number of years of schooling among respondents was 7.7 years (Table 1). For classification, the workers in this study were placed in one of three groups:

• Unmarried workers
• Married workers
• Divorced workers

From Table 1, it is seen that most of the respondents were married (78.8%), followed by unmarried (14.4%), and divorced (6.7%). Average household size of the workers was 3.88 members with 1.88 earning members per family (Table 1). Studies show that garment workers in Bangladesh receive lower wages than those in other third world countries (Promar, 2014). The study also confirms and reveals that the average monthly gross reported wage of the workers is still low, which is BDT 8,527.53, while the average monthly calculated wage of the seasonal workers is BDT 2,860.54 (Table 1). The work experience of the respondents was also 4.78 years on average in the garment manufacturing sector (Table 1).

Workers’ Opinions on Existing Welfare Policies

Garment workers were asked to share their opinions on the welfare provisions provided by their factories. In this study, the workers expressed their views on ten aspects of labor welfare outlined in the Bangladesh Labor Law 2006 (Table 2).

The workers were asked to provide their opinions on the following statements:

• Adequate medical facilities are available in your factory.
• The performance of the labor welfare department in your factory is commendable.
• The performance of the safety committee in your factory is commendable.
• Adequate washing and bathing facilities are available in your factory.
• Sufficient canteen facilities are available for workers in your factory.
• Sufficient restroom facilities are available for workers in your factory.
• Sufficient lunchroom facilities are available for workers in your factory.
• Adequate restroom facilities are available for female workers in your factory.
• Sufficient childcare facilities are provided in your factory.
• The management of your factory is willing to implement a group insurance policy for workers.

It is noteworthy that each statement had five response options:

• Strongly agree (SA)
• Agree (A)
• Neutral (N)
• Disagree (DA)
• Strongly disagree (SDA)

As seen in Table 2, most workers had positive opinions about the existing canteen facilities, medical provisions, safety committee performance, and childcare facilities. For example, 79.8% of respondents agreed that their factory provides adequate canteen facilities, and 77.4% believed their factory has sufficient medical facilities for workers (Table 2). However, the majority of workers expressed negative views about the existing restroom facilities, separate restrooms for female workers, and the management’s willingness to introduce a group insurance policy for workers (Table 2). For instance, 66.4% of respondents indicated that management is unwilling to

Table 2 Opinions of the respondents on different statements (percentage)

Source: Survey, 2024 SA Strongly Agree; A Agree; N Neutral; DA Disagree; SDA Strongly Disagree

introduce a group insurance policy, and 62.1% stated that there are insufficient separate restrooms for female workers (Table 2). Furthermore, the study also asked workers whether they were overall satisfied with the existing welfare policies practiced by their factories. In this regard, the majority of workers (99%) were dissatisfied with the current welfare practices in their factories. This study showed that 99% of workers would be satisfied if all the welfare policies outlined in the labor law were practiced in their factories.

Important Issues for Workers

This survey shows that out of 17 variables, 6 variables were significantly related to dependent variable (Table 3). These six variables included (i) availability of overtime for the workers, (ii) number of medical benefits that workers received, (iii) number of safety measures established by safety committee, (iv) number of restrooms available for workers, (v) number of lunchrooms available for workers, and (vi) availability of childcare centers in the organization (Table 3).Benefits such as their direct associations with the welfare of workers were shown in this study (Syed and Mahmood, 2022). Overtime benefits are defined as a supplement to any salary of a worker above and beyond what they normally get a salary for. If an employee has worked more hours than prescribed under labor law then they shall be entitled to receiving overtime i.e., at double the rate of their basic wage plus (if any) dearness allowance (S108 (1) BLA, 2006). It may be safely surmised that every worker who enjoys the benefit of overtime has a more favorable climate of income and expenses compared to a worker who does not have this benefit. The availability of overtime benefits also had a significant positive effect on dependent variables (Table 3). An extra hour of overtime increases a worker’s 50 percent probability of satisfaction (Table 3). The number of research has also shown that the economic welfare of garment workers is significantly improved through the receipt of overtime benefits by workers (Fujimoto et al., 2022; Jaishri, 2021; Nusrat and Solaiman, 2016). As in other developing countries, workers in Bangladesh are often unable to access sufficient healthcare benefits in cases of need because of insufficient income and lack of local healthcare services (Hasan et al., 2021; Kabir et al., 2021). Additionally, a significant portion of Bangladeshi workers, especially females, continue to be unaware of the healthcare benefits they are entitled to (Hasan et al., 2021; Rana, 2014). Bangladesh Labor Law 2006 makes organizations responsible for protecting the healthcare of workers, and providing necessary workplace medical benefits. For example, it is logical to assume that a worker receiving more medical benefits from their company will be happier, both physically and psychologically, than someone with fewer medical benefits. In this line, intermediary benefits related to the number of doctors and nurses working for the organization, and their medical equipment used by the workers (first-aid boxes, medicines, X-ray machine, ambulance, etc.) were found. Those employees who are affiliates of medical benefits have a significant and positive relationship with dependent using the study (Table 3). From Table 3, it can be understood from the third column that with each additional medical benefit received, the chances of a worker being satisfied increase by 64.55%. These findings were consistent with the results showed in the studies conducted by Bhatti and Ashok Kumar (2013) and Rajapakse (2021).

Table 3 Estimated results of the binary logistic regression

Source: Survey, 2024 Probability = [Odd / (1 + Odd)] * 100

Key Affects Worker Satisfaction

Industrial growth can certainly be hampered by frequent industrial accidents in Bangladesh (Ullah, 2022; Nusrat & Solaiman, 2016). Welfare centers, essentially, stem from workplace safety and hygiene standards (Rahman & Arfin, 2022). To ensure safety in industry, safety committees lay down safety measures that need to be strictly followed to ensure the security of the workers. Organizations without effective safety committees, or those with weak committees, are less likely to manage their risks and accidents effectively compared to organizations that have good functioning safety committees. One that adds safety restrictions according to committee rules should be safer than one with light restrictions. The current study also found that the number of safety measures exerted by the safety committees had considerable influence on the dependent variables (Table 3). As personnel 1, 2, 3, and 4 exhaustively research and then report what they found in detail to the committee, we see that the probability of being satisfied as a worker increases by 62% as a result of each additional safety procedure implemented by the committee (Table 3) This is consistent with findings from various other studies (Syed & Mahmood, 2022; Ahmed et al., 2020).

Restroom Significance for the Workers

Industrial workers traditionally work under strenuous conditions and perform strength and endurance-based tasks (Razzak et al., 2021; Rana, 2014). They feel exhausted and tend to get sick frequently, as a result draining their creativity, ambition, and productivity. Having rest areas inside the workplace is good for workers’ physical and mental health. Thus, to maintain high performance levels, having an adequate number of restrooms is essential. This study verified this by finding strong and significant positive correlations (Table 3) between availability of restrooms and dependent variables. It suggests restroom facilities improve employee satisfaction. Table 3 shows that giving an additional restroom unit adds 66.30% increased satisfaction the worker. Adequate restroom facilities have been found to be one of the contributing factors for making them satisfied workers (Bhatti 2013; Sharmin 2022).

The Importance of Lunchroom Facilities

In Bangladesh, it is a legal requirement that workers be provided with lunchroom facilities. An adequately maintained and well-furnished lunch room enables staff to have fresh food in a hygienic setting. Lunchroom within the Office A lunchroom within the office can save the effort required by employees to search for food outside the office premises. This study indicated a significant and positive association between dependent variables and the availability of lunchroom facilities (Table 3). For each lunchroom unit added, worker satisfaction is expected to increase by 59.59% (Table 3). In line with these findings, previous studies have also highlighted a positive relationship between lunchroom facilities and employee overall satisfaction (Syed & Mahmood, 2022; Tamilmozhi & Vetriavel, n.d.; Bhatti & Ashokkumar, 2013).

Childcare Facilities for Working Women

In Bangladesh, childcare facilities are crucial for the wellbeing of garment workers, especially for women workers (Iqbal 2021; Rana 2014). Many garment workers are married women, the majority of whom fall in the 20-30 age range, a critical period for reproduction. Therefore, accessible childcare facilities are crucial in this regard (Sharmin & Manan, 2022). Both theories lend support to the idea that female workers will be happier working in an organization that offers support for childcare than one that does not. As hypothesized, coverage was found to be strongly and positively associated with our dependent variables (Table 3). The increase in the number of childcare centers increases the probability of worker satisfaction by 61.80% (see Table 3). In addition, the relationship between childcare support and employee satisfaction is significantly positive in multiple studies (Jaighum et al., 2021; Belur et al., 2020; Nusrat & Solaiman, 2016).

Limitations of the Study

This study was limited to two districts Dhaka and Gazipur in the garment industry. However, due to time limits, garment factories in other districts of Bangladesh were not taken into consideration. Also, the study focused solely on garment workers, meaning factories that only produce woven clothing were dropped due to cost concerns. In addition, the paper mostly just demonstrated the quantitative factors of labor welfare. For generalizability of these findings, future studies need to be more holistic and utilize both qualitative as well as quantitative strategies. A holistic understanding would require the study to be expanded to different categories of factories, going beyond garment industries to woven industries in multiple districts in Bangladesh.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

The present study mainly assesses the effect of labor welfare policies on global ready-made garment RMG workers in Bangladesh. Editorial: The results show that when labor welfare measures like overtime benefits, medical facilities, safety measures and restrooms, lunchrooms and care rooms for children are improved, workers tend to feel better about their lives and work. Most of the garment workers are women in Bangladesh, many of whom are illiterate, poor and from deep rural areas (Syed, 2020a). As a consequence, you can check their health issues enough. This study group of sampled workers is no exception. Hence, there should be monthly aware about health care. Also, factories should have adequate and proportionate doctors and nurses in factory premises and free essential medical check-up facility. There need to be more comprehensive health insurance policy available to all workers. Adequate childcare facilities should be provided because, since most garment workers are women and they spend long hours at the factory, childcare will assist them in caring for their children, thus decreasing their stress levels. Additionally, to improve lunchroom situation and to ensure adequate facility is available and furnished properly to students, so that we can provide enough and clean lunchrooms. Thus, these lunchrooms should have access to potable drinking water systems, cooling systems, and proper seating arrangements. It is important to have enough restrooms as well. At least separate toilets should also be provided for men and women in factories along with necessary equipment like cooling fans, televisions, phone chargers, publications (newspapers, magazines, books), and rest areas should be also provided. Also, there should be dedicated washrooms adjoining both men and women restrooms. Then, in consultation with workers and management, steps should be taken to ensure an active safety committee to enhance workplace safety. To make it effective there should be regular meetings. In addition, sufficient expense and budget must be designated for the safety committee to install or obtain safety equipment on time. A group insurance policy to provide workers welfare can be implemented further. To ensure compliance with various provisions of labor welfare, the relevant penalties stated in the Bangladesh Labor Act (2006) must also be well enforced. Providing sufficient redress, including appropriate compensation, penalties or liability for non-compliance.

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