The Effect of Garments Industry on Women Employment in Dhaka City

Abstract

In a country like Bangladesh where 48.4 percent of the population are women, their role and status ~s important to national development. Only 12.5 percent women are considered economically active in the urban area. Women are the disadvantaged group ~n view of the productive work they do, their active work i5 hardly recogni~ed in the national statistics. With the advent of garment industry ~n Bangladesh, employing mostly female workforce. Usually these women belonged to the I• middle class and lower middle class families and were moatly idle girls and housewives before. The employment effect of garment industry on the social and economlC life of the wOmen employed can easily be realized. They are more familier with outside life, le"rning new skills. Thus they have achieved some independence and status in the society • Even the location pattern of garment factories in Bangladesh and within Dh ••ka has direct effect on physical planning, and affect the Slze and trend of employment of women. More women are employed in areas with larger factory units, cheaper building rents and good road network and communic ••tion facilIties. Usually women prefer to place. live within walkin~ distance from the working The present study is msinly based on empirical data collection on women workers through questionnaire survey in varIous parts of the Dhaka City. The study tries to explain the effect of garment induatry on women employment in the urban sector of Dhaka City. Finally on the basis of 'h" findinllS aome proposals ware suggested. It might be of aome help to the women workera in future in their employment,