The majority of Bangladesh’s export-oriented garment factories not affiliated with major trade bodies are increasingly shipping products to non-traditional markets, driven by less stringent compliance requirements from buyers. According to Mapped in Bangladesh (MiB), an open apparel registry, approximately 836 factories are unregistered with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) or the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), exporting over 80 per cent of their production, with 63.56 per cent of these units targeting non-traditional markets.
Former BKMEA president Fazlul Hoque noted that many of these factories subcontract their work, creating a lack of oversight that raises risks such as underpayment and safety violations. He emphasised the importance of establishing minimum compliance standards for these factories to ensure accountability and support.
Bangladesh’s garment exports to non-traditional markets, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and various African nations, grew by 6.42 per cent to US $ 3.96 billion in the first half of FY ’25. This follows a significant rise in exports to non-traditional markets, which reached US $ 6.09 billion in FY ’24, up from US $ 3.90 billion in FY ’15.
Concerns regarding labour rights in subcontracted factories were highlighted in a recent study conducted by the Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham, which found human rights risks such as child labour and underpayment were more prevalent in these unregulated units compared to registered factories.
Experts recommend that the non-member factories be brought under some form of regulation to ensure compliance with labour rights and safety standards, highlighting the essential need for oversight in the growing garment sector.
