This post was initially prepared before the unrest and flooding of the last month became the focal point of work in Bangladesh. We hope the content can still be of use to those advocating for workers’ rights in Bangladesh within and after the current crises pass, but we wanted to provide more immediate and specific resources up front as well. You can visit this guide for pre-drawn OS Hub searches of key impacted areas, as well as additional resources, guides, and background to assist in your work.
Workers’ Rights Issues in Bangladesh
This write-up explores the workers’ rights issues faced by garment workers in Bangladesh, the importance of transparency and accountability in supply chains, and the role of Open Supply Hub in contributing to positive change.
When we talk about supply chain transparency, it is not only about making supply chain data accessible but also about being able to show who the different actors are in and around supply chains. In this ecosystem, every organization holds various types of data as part of their responsibility. Some have basic operational information, some access information on workers, some track environmental data, some hold certification information, and so on. When searching online, you will find supply chain information scattered and unorganized, adding extra steps to make an informed decision. Often, we hardly understand whom to reach for what purpose, leaving accessible remedies delayed or untouched.
The ecosystem includes but is not limited to:
- People/workers/worker rights groups,
- Businesses/suppliers/sourcing groups,
- Processes/industry types/production types/processing types/sectors,
- Production location information/geolocations,
- Vendors/buyers/brands/companies,
- Partners/service providers/financial partners/CSOs/MSIs,
- Credentials/certifications/auditors,
- Researchers/policymakers,
- The nature/environment.
When one of these stakeholders is affected, or their issues are not addressed, the whole ecosystem is impacted. People, particularly workers, are one of the key stakeholders in keeping the ecosystem running. If they are ill-treated or their rights are not being addressed, it affects the business. In Bangladesh, ensuring workers’ rights has been a crucial topic of discussion for decades. Due to their situation and surroundings, workers are often given the least importance, struggling to have their voices raised and heard by those responsible. One of their struggles is they do not know whom to reach and what information they need to address problems. Knowing these details enables labor organizations, human rights groups, and others to swiftly alert company representatives to labor abuses in the factories they are working in, allowing companies or buyers to intervene – sooner rather than later – to stop and rectify abuses. It also facilitates brands’ collaboration and collective action to stop, prevent, mitigate, and provide a remedy for labor abuses. Publishing supply chain information by each stakeholder of the ecosystem builds trust among workers, consumers, labor advocates, and investors. It also sends a strong message that any company should be open to accountability when labor rights abuses are found in its supply chain. Such a policy makes a company’s claim of concern about labor practices in its supplier factories more credible.
Unsafe Working Conditions and Inability to Exercise Labor Rights
Despite international attention to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) violations in apparel production locations after the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse, garment workers continue to face labor rights abuses, including the suppression of freedom of association and poor OSH conditions. Worker rights organizations striving to make workplaces safer can enhance transparency by disclosing their program coverage, which then can be used to identify areas needing further remedy and the responsible parties. The overlapping feature in Open Supply Hub’s search tool is a powerful resource for driving such impactful changes.
Workers’ Exposure to Climate Change: Issues like Extreme Heat, Intense Flooding, and Water Pollution
Due to flooding, high heat, and humidity, apparel workers in Bangladesh often face the dilemma of staying home or risking illness to maintain their incomes. Additionally, hundreds of production locations discharge untreated wastewater into water bodies, releasing a toxic mix of chemicals from dyes and detergents. This pollution has left some of the country’s main rivers struggling under the burden of textile processing effluents. These pollutants not only devastate aquatic ecosystems but also endanger the health of millions who rely on these rivers for drinking water and agriculture. The resulting contamination leads to widespread waterborne diseases and long-term ecological damage. When discussing consumer power and policy advocacy, transparency is a key issue to raise, as its demand compels companies to rethink their production practices. Sharing information about facility types can help identify the necessary measures to address these issues. Additionally, mapping production locations can make it easier to pinpoint where intervention is needed. This approach enables stakeholders to address the environmental and social impacts more effectively. Organizations that hold such data can contribute to Open Supply Hub, allowing users and civil society organizations to involve relevant stakeholders committed to acting responsibly.
Unpaid Wages on a Regular Basis
Failing to pay workers on time is not only a violation of labor laws but also a violation of human rights. The payment schedule by factory management and companies varies depending on the number of workers employed. While some major factories and companies comply with labor laws, many subcontractors and smaller factories are often found in violation. Due to the lack of supply chain transparency beyond tier 1, companies and brands sometimes evade responsibility by claiming they were not aware of any subcontractor factories being used in production. These excuses are frequently given when brands and companies are questioned about the non-payment of workers’ wages. By opening up information about suppliers, their subcontractors, and the number of workers at each level from which brands or companies are sourcing, not only can these loopholes be closed, but also responsible business practices can be demonstrated by each stakeholder. Open Supply Hub encourages all the stakeholders to contribute their supplier or member lists, along with the number of workers, complementing rather than replacing past contributions.
Open Supply Hub: Helping Advancing Workers’ Rights
Worker rights groups have been using Open Supply Hub to advance their missions and goals. Supply chain transparency goes beyond companies accessing information internally—it also involves making this information accessible to external stakeholders, including customers, investors, and regulators, as part of ESG reporting.
Open Supply Hub ensures essential features are usable to all by:
- Standardizing the Production location name and address,
- Assigning a unique ID to each Production location,
- Making data accessible and interoperable,
- Facilitating global collaboration,
- Keeping the historical data available on the platform.
As a labor rights advocate, Civil Society Organization, Multi-Stakeholder Initiative, or researcher addressing unfair labor practices, how can you make the most use of Open Supply Hub? Here are several impactful ways:
- Search factories by country, organization, organization type, sector, production/processing type, number of workers, number of connections a production location has, and so on;
- Draw an area on the map where you are aware of labor violations taking place or any natural calamities happening, and download the list of production locations in that area to initiate remediation or partnerships;
- Find brand names sourcing from a production location profile or from a list of production locations with whom you can initiate corrective action plans;
- Download historical data from brands that previously contributed data to identify their purchasing behavior;
- Identify connections between brands and production locations where workers need advocacy;
- Identify and reach out to brands that are not making their production locations lists visible to all;
- Find the right partners and form transformational partnerships to accelerate conservation work;
- Get insights into production locations, their brands, and their other connections who are adhering to human rights and other corporate responsibilities, and advocate for them.
This video tutorial walks through some of the key ways you can search OS Hub to support the above actions:
Worker rights groups have the credibility to ask the right questions to brands, their suppliers, and other relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries to ensure they are creating a responsible and ethical environment for the workers who contribute to their profit.
There are numerous case studies by worker rights groups using Open Supply Hub. Read their stories to see how you might make a similar impact!
OS Hub is a non-profit platform that relies on philanthropic support to sustain the world’s most complete, open and accessible supply chain map. Join us in powering the transition to safe and sustainable supply chains by making a donation today.
