Western media has once claimed to have exposed the unfair working conditions in Bangladesh’s RMG factories. Photographer Claudio Montesano Casillas reportedly went inside sweatshops in Keraniganj, Dhaka and took some photographs that show the grim reality for thousands of children in Bangladesh who are forced to work long crippling hours stitching labels into clothes.
The report states while the RMG factories mainly make clothes for the domestic market, they also supply to well-known and established international apparel brands through sub-contracts, which is making it difficult for companies to know from where exactly all their clothes are coming from.
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“An informal factory could comprise of a room with 15 sewing machines and are often without emergency exits, fire safety plans or extinguishers as they are not subjected to the nationwide fire and buildings safety assessments. The children, who don’t have time to go to school, are tasked with a huge range of jobs from embroidery and sticking on sequins to dyeing fabric and machine cleaning. Young garment workers having a shower inside their factory. Due to workload they eat, shower and sleep inside these factories. Most factories are at risk of fire accidents due to poor wiring and electrical safety standards and basic awareness. Children and adult employees earn as little as £ 6.50 a month, or less than BDT 800. At best, they can expect BDT 1,950 (£ 16),” the report mentions.
