Workers In Bangladesh Research Articles

Usability of Rapid Cholera Detection Device (OmniVis) for Water Quality Workers in Bangladesh: Iterative Convergent Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundCholera poses a significant global health burden. In Bangladesh, cholera is endemic and causes more than 100,000 cases each year. Established environmental reservoirs leave millions at risk of infection through the consumption of contaminated water. The Global Task Force for Cholera Control has called for increased environmental surveillance to detect contaminated water sources prior to human infection in an effort to reduce cases and deaths. The OmniVis rapid cholera detection device uses loop-mediated isothermal amplification and particle diffusometry detection methods integrated into a handheld hardware device that attaches to an iPhone 6 to identify and map contaminated water sources.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the usability of the OmniVis device with targeted end users to advance the iterative prototyping process and ultimately design a device that easily integrates into users’ workflow.MethodsWater quality workers were trained to use the device and subsequently completed an independent device trial and usability questionnaire. Pretraining and posttraining knowledge assessments were administered to ensure training quality did not confound trial and questionnaireResultsDevice trials identified common user errors and device malfunctions including incorrect test kit insertion and device powering issues. We did not observe meaningful differences in user errors or device malfunctions accumulated per participant across demographic groups. Over 25 trials, the mean time to complete a test was 47 minutes, a significant reduction compared with laboratory protocols, which take approximately 3 days. Overall, participants found the device easy to use and expressed confidence and comfort in using the device independently.ConclusionsThese results are used to advance the iterative prototyping process of the OmniVis rapid cholera detection device so it can achieve user uptake, workflow integration, and scale to ultimately impact cholera control and elimination strategies. We hope this methodology will promote robust usability evaluations of rapid pathogen detection technologies in device development.

Impact of COVID-19 on Ready-made Garments Workers in Bangladesh

COVID-19 is an overwhelming crisis that has touched almost every sector. As the Ready-made Garments (RMG) sector is closely integrated with the global supply chain, it is important to understand the implications of COVID-19 on RMG workers as they are the most vulnerable in this situation. This article aims to explore the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic on RMG workers in Bangladesh. Particularly, it investigates the impact on health, safety and security, employment, livelihood, and social relations of the workers. The research also explores the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in this regard. The study followed qualitative methodology. The primary data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussion, and key informant interviews. The findings revealed that COVID-19 faced detrimental consequences in terms of health, safety and security, and social relations. The workers also faced a livelihood crisis as their earnings were curtailed.

Slips, Trips and Falls among the workers in a garment industry in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Introduction: Slips, trips and falls (STFs) lead to considerable accidents and injuries with a large financial consequence. In garment industries, occupational accidents and injuries are not uncommon and slips, trips and falls are the major contributory factors. It aimed to find out the contributing factors of slips, trips and falls among the garment workers in Bangladesh.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a garment industry to find out the factors responsible for slips, trips and falls among the workers. The study participants were garment workers with one year of experience, regardless of age and sex. A total of 208 workers was selected by simple random sampling. The study was conducted from July 2018 to June 2019.
 Results: Among the total 208 respondents, 130 (62.5%) were female and the mean age was 27.49±7.18 years. The majority of the respondents (57.2%) had a primary level of education and had work experience up to five years (71.6%). Of the total respondents, 62 (29.8%) had the experience of slips, trips and falls (STFs) in the last six months. Among them, slips were experienced by 34(16.3%), trips by 43(20.7%) and falls by 40(19.2%) respondents. Poor housekeeping 23(53.6%), mopped wet floor 18(52.9%), slopped and slippery floors 14(35.0%), improper storage 14(32.6%), uneven floor 12(30.0%) and spilling of drinks 9(26.5%) in a higher proportion were responsible for slips, trips and falls. The ergonomic factors which were reported to contribute to slips, trips and falls in a higher proportion were working posture 30(69.8%) and load-bearing 24 (60%). Workplace stress, on the other hand, was found to be the most common 37(92.5%) contributing factor to slips, trips and falls.
 Conclusion: Almost two-thirds of garment workers experienced slips, trips and falls in their workplace. To prevent slips, trips and falls, steps should be taken to reduce the contributing factors, especially the workplace stress among the workers.

Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Female Readymade Garment Workers in Bangladesh: A Comparative Study Between OSH Compliant and Non-Compliant Factories.

PurposeMusculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common occupational diseases responsible for work restriction and absenteeism. The purpose of the study was to compare the prevalence of MSDs between ready-made garment (RMG) factories that are compliant versus non-compliant with International Labor Organization (ILO) based Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards, and to identify other factors associated with a higher prevalence of MSDs.MethodsA multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 randomly selected female workers (age: >18 years; ≥1 year of work experience) from 12 randomly selected RMG factories in the Dhaka district of Bangladesh from February to December 2019. Factories were stratified as OSH compliant or non-compliant. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consist of socio-demographic, work-related factors, and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) for MSD assessment. Robust Poisson regression was used to investigate the association of MSDs with OSH compliance, socio-demographic and other work-related factors.ResultsRespondents’ mean age was 26.9 ± 5.9 years. A total of 235 (57%) of the workers reported musculoskeletal pain in at least one body part during the last month. Among the nine reported MSDs, the prevalence of lower back pain was highest (41%) followed by pain in the knees (33%). Multivariable analysis showed lower prevalence of any MSD among workers in OSH compliant factories [aPR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.31–0.58], and workers with regular working hours (8 hrs/day) [aPR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.62–1.00]. The risk of developing any MSD was significantly higher for age group 25–30 years [aPR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01–1.33] and age group ≥31 years [aPR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.04–1.1.39].ConclusionThe study found a high burden of musculoskeletal disorders among female RMG workers, especially those in non-OSH compliant factories that work long hours. Enforcement of minimum ILO-based OSH standards and introduction of low-cost interventions to improve working conditions in non-compliant factories would help sustain the pace of development in this sector in Bangladesh, and ensure the health of the women who work there.

Individual Monitoring of Internal Exposure for Nuclear Medicine Workers in NINMAS through In-Vitro Bioassay Techniques

Internal radiation monitoring of occupational radiation workers is essential for protecting them against the risks of incorporated radionuclides. More than 400 workers in Bangladesh are working with unsealed radioactive sources and most of them are employed at different nuclear facilities. Among the 18 Nuclear Medicine Centers in the country, the National Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science (NINMAS), Dhaka was selected for this study where workers get internal radiation exposure while processing and labeling of the liquid sources. The aim of this study was to estimate the activity concentration and committed effective doses from bioassay sample, namely urine samples of Nuclear Medicine (NM) workers due to handling of radioactive Iodine (131I), Technetium (99mTc) and Fluorine (F-18). Total 86 urine samples were collected from 17 occupational workers of NINMAS during the year 2017 and analyzed using High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. The radioactivity of 131I and (99mTc) was found 2.21±0.44 BqL-1 to 444 ± 39.91 BqL-1 and 5.53±1.12 BqL-1 to 603 ± 72.36 BqL-1 respectively. Due to low activity of the unsealed F-18 sources and for appropriate shielding, radioactivity of F-18 was found below the minimum detection level in the urine samples of the workers who handled it. The effective doses of occupational workers have also been calculated using the radioactivity concentration and the dose coefficients given in ICRP publication 78. The highest and lowest effective doses due to handling of the unsealed source of (99mTc) were 28.2 and 0.0258μSv for working with 780 and 36mCi of radionuclide respectively. On the other hand, the highest and lowest effective doses due to handling of 131I were 8.73and 0.045μSv, for working with 1425 and 55 mCi respectively. Both the doses are found to comply with ICRP annual dose limit of 20 mSv.
 Bangladesh J. Nuclear Med. 22(2): 125-129, Jul 2019

Health sufferings, healthcare seeking behavior, awareness about health insurance, and health related rights of ready made garments workers in Bangladesh: Findings from a cross-sectional study.

ObjectivesThis study aimed at examining health sufferings of readymade garments (RMG) workers, the factors that affect their health sufferings, their healthcare seeking pattern, knowledge about health insurance and health related rights in Bangladesh.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted among 486 RMG workers recruited randomly from eight garments factories located on the periphery of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, headache, fever and abdominal pain was estimated and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine association between these illnesses of workers and their socio‐demographic characteristics and other work related information. We also explored their healthcare seeking patterns, knowledge about health insurance and health related rights.ResultsThe prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, headache, fever and abdominal pain was found to be 78.1%, 57.9%, 52.2% and 24.6%, respectively, among the RMG workers. Factors that increased the odds of: musculoskeletal pain were working for more than 10 h per day (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1–4.7) and being female [AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 2.0–10.6]; fever was living in slums [AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1–3.5]; and abdominal pain was being female [AOR: 3.6, 95% CI: 1.4–9.3]. The workers commonly reported visiting drug sellers in local pharmacies for reported illnesses. They also had better knowledge of health related rights but poor knowledge of health insurance.ConclusionIn order to address the overall health and well‐being of the RMG workers, it is imperative to lay out a blueprint for a safe and healthy workplace.

Workers’ quality of working life and privatisation: Insights from a developing country

Privatisation affects tens of thousands of workers in Bangladesh, though most research has focused on the relationships between privatisation and profitability of this developing country’s privatisation programmes. This study, therefore, is an attempt to shed light on workers who are very vulnerable and examines the impact of privatisation on workers’ quality of working life. Employing document analysis and semi-structured face-to-face interviews with privatised and state-owned organisations’ workers in Bangladesh, this study finds that workers’ compensation, job security, access to trade unions, and leave entitlements in most privatised case study organisations are less than their counterparts in comparable state-owned organisations. These findings aim at contributing to the body of research by empirically investigating the impact of privatisation on workers who are left behind and possess important implications for the privatisation programmes in Bangladesh as it informs that there is a need to reassess the privatisation programmes through greater awareness of the negative effects of privatisation on workers and renew efforts to develop an approach that is sensitive to the Bangladeshi context.

Learnings from the evaluation of HERrespect: a factory-based intervention to prevent intimate partner and workplace violence against female garment workers in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) and workplace violence (WPV) against women are widespread globally, and we set out to establish whether an intervention on gender-transformative programming delivered to Bangladeshi garment factory workers could reduce women’s experience of IPV and WPV. We developed and tested an intervention, HERrespect and encountered considerable obstacles. Objective: To describe the challenges in program implementation and evaluation in the factories and the serious implications that arose for the study outcomes. Methods: HERrespect is a participatory intervention with mostly parallel group sessions for female and male workers and the management staff, designed to be delivered weekly in three hourly sessions, and supported by some factory-wide and limited community information campaigns. It was evaluated in a quasi-experimental study conducted in eight garment factories in and around Dhaka city, with a cohort of 800 women workers and 395 management staff who were followed for 24 months. Results: The study was conducted in the ready-made garment industry with substantial power imbalances between buyers, factory management and workers. The factories were contacted through the buyers, and some factories had agreed to participate half-heartedly. Many did not make enough time available for optimal implementation. Thus, the sessions were shortened and spread out. The factories did not make all the group members available for sessions. Whilst agreeing to participate, some management undermined the research by warning workers against disclosing information that may harm the business, resulting in the endline data being unreliable. Conclusions: Future research on IPV prevention in this sector is advised to: (1) Gain genuine management buy-in prior to starting activities; (2) implement an optimally intensive programme for the workers and management; (3) engage men from the female workers’ communities. WPV prevention will require a change in the structural violence of the just-in-time regime which contributes largely to WPV.

Technology-based Support for Ready Made Garment Workers in Bangladesh: Understanding their Lives before and during COVID-19 Pandemic

Technology-based Support for Ready Made Garment Workers in Bangladesh: Understanding their Lives before and during COVID-19 Pandemic

Plights of Women Construction Workers in Bangladesh

Plights of Women Construction Workers in Bangladesh

The Post-Rana Plaza Regime : Multi-level labour regulation in Bangladesh’s RMG sector

In the wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy, the Accord and the Alliance were launched as two separate private initiatives alongside the National Initiative (NI) to improve the workplace safety of ready-made garment (RMG) workers in Bangladesh. Together, these three initiatives created multi-level labour regulation with both vertical and horizontal layering. From a multi-level governance perspective, we conducted qualitative research by means of interviews (N = 41) and archival data to analyze the post- Rana Plaza labour regulation experience of Bangladesh’s RMG sector. While our findings indicate the effectiveness of the vertical flow of institutional regulation, they also reveal significant horizontal challenges during implementation of the private initiatives alongside the public NI. Participants believed that the Accord and the Alliance were more effective than individual corporation-led private monitoring because they both approached intervention with a focus on select safety issues with time-bound deliverables, expertise and resources and with effective exercise of sanctions for noncompliance. In contrast, most of the participants saw the NI as much less effective, deploring its insufficient resources, lack of transparency in reporting progress and “softness” in punishing noncompliance. Horizontal operations of the Accord and the Alliance along with those of the NI created some complexities, such as differences in remediation recommendations, an oppositional attitude among non-public and public regulatory team members and a burden of remediation costs on factory owners. In the absence of a legal basis for international labour regulation, these findings will help provide a nuanced understanding of the power dynamics involved in negotiating the revised form and extent of international regulation after the expiration of the Accord and the Alliance, thus shedding light on the ever-evolving forms of international labour regulation. This research will contribute to debate among policy makers and scholars on how best to improve workers’ safety in globally dispersed production networks.SummaryFollowing the Rana Plaza tragedy, two private institutional regulation initiatives, the Accord and Alliance, emerged to address ready-made garment workers’ safety in Bangladesh, alongside the public National Initiative. These three initiatives constitute multi-level regulation with vertical and horizontal layering. Employing this governance framework, this qualitative study analyzes these initiatives using interviews (N=41) and archival data. Our findings suggest an effective vertical flow of private institutional regulation but reveal significant horizontal challenges. We also examine the power dynamics during implementation and in negotiating international regulation after the expiration of the Accord and Alliance, in the absence of a legal basis for international labour regulation. This research contributes to the debate among policy makers and scholars over how to improve workers’ safety in globally dispersed production networks.

Impact of COVID–19 on the Hospitality Industry: Climbing Towards Recovery

This comprehensive research has been undertaken to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 in the hotel and restaurant industry. Amid temporary closures, introducing drive-thru, pick-up, third party deliveries, implementation of new technologies, and finally reopening, the restaurant industry and gone through ups and downs. Many restaurants could not afford to return to business and many lost track and employees. To evaluate the impact of COVID-19, this paper has discussed the three vital stages of the recent life of the restaurant - “Pre COVID-19”, “During COVID-19” and “After COVID-19”. The descriptive research has been conducted on independent restaurants to shed light on how COVID-19 has impacted them and also suggested the possible effects of survival. A variety of key themes have arisen from the findings. Firstly, the reopened hotels and restaurants workers have laid off or furloughed more than 50% of workers in Bangladesh. According to a National Restaurant Association study of the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis, the entire restaurant industry is forecast to sustain $240 billion in losses by the end of 2020. Secondly, contrary to previous research, we find that many small companies are financially weaker than before. Therefore, the purpose of this analysis is also to explore the potential effect of the COVID-19 in the hospitality sector due to the restricted movement, summarize the lessons that were learned from other similar epidemics and global crises, and exploring the potential steps towards recovery.

Experiences of a 'screen and treat' cervical cancer prevention programme among brothel-based female sex workers in Bangladesh: A qualitative interview study.

Objectives:Little is known about sex workers’ experiences of cervical cryotherapy. We sought to understand sex workers’ perspectives of ‘screen and treat’ programmes and their management of the World Health Organization post-treatment guidance to abstain from sex or use condoms consistently for 4 weeks. We explored contraceptive preferences and use of menstrual regulation services.Methods:We conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 sex workers and six brothel leaders in an urban brothel complex in Bangladesh between October and November 2018. All had undergone cryotherapy. We conducted a thematic analysis using deductive coding, informed by a priori themes, and inductive data-driven coding.Results:Most sex workers could not abstain from sex during the healing period. Consistent condom use was challenging due to economic incentives attached to condomless sex and coercive behaviours of clients. The implications of non-adherence among high-risk groups such as sex workers are not known. Use of short-acting methods of contraception was common, and discontinuation was high due to side effects and other perceived health concerns. The majority of sex workers and brothel leaders had utilized menstrual regulation services. Barriers to accessing timely menstrual regulation and other sexual and reproductive health services included limited mobility, economic costs, and discriminatory attitudes of health care workers.Conclusion:Service innovations are required to enable sex workers to abstain or use condoms consistently in the post-cryotherapy healing phase and to address sex workers’ broader sexual and reproductive health needs. Further research is required to assess the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infection transmission following cryotherapy among high-risk groups.

Identifying the Threshold Level of Flooding for Rice Production in Bangladesh: An Empirical Analysis

Flood is responsible for the agricultural production scheme and livelihood well-being in Bangladesh. It is the most frequent catastrophe that affects crop production in terms of area coverage and yield. However, a normal flood is beneficial for the ecology and environment. As rice is the most important crop for sustaining the food security of the country, this study identified the threshold level of flooding for rice area coverage and production. The study used the time series data of annual rice area coverage, production, and flooding area in a well-established threshold regression model. The empirical results expose that flooding 22 percent of the geographical area is the threshold value for rice area coverage and production in Bangladesh. Up to the threshold level (22 percent), a one square kilometer increase in flooding would increase the rice area coverage by 31 hectares, as flooding would bring more land under cultivation. Beyond the threshold limit, a one square kilometer increase in flooding would reduce the rice area coverage by 2 hectares. On the other hand, the production of rice would increase by 492 tons with a one square kilometer increase in flooding up to the threshold limit. However, the rice production would reduce by 70 tons if a one square kilometer increase flooding above the threshold limit. On top of that, both the rice area coverage and production showed increasing trends with the increase in flooding level in the last few years. The reasons behind this aregovernment supports, subsidies, incentives, and stress coping strategies towards accelerating national production to overcome the effects of the flood to sustain national food security; development of stress-tolerant and high yielding modern rice varieties by the research organizations; and replacing the local varieties with these modern varieties by the farmers and extension workers in Bangladesh.

Does compliance to standards in the ready‐made garments industry affect employee attitudes? A study in Bangladesh

Due to high quality at low costs, Bangladesh has long been of interest to retailers as a location for sourcing garments. In 2012 and 2013 however, two disasters drew the world's attention to the poor working conditions of the garment workers there, which in turn led to demands that these conditions should be improved. However, many factory owners continue to view compliance as a cost and are reluctant to improve standards. Based on data from 444 workers in the ready‐made garments industry, this study focuses on the mediating effect of job satisfaction on compliance with improved standards, and employee engagement. The findings confirm that compliance acts as a distal antecedent to employee engagement and job satisfaction fully mediates the compliance–engagement relationship. The results shed light on the significance of compliance with standards in terms of long‐term profitability, and retaining an engaged workforce. They highlight the value of good management practices when implementing compliance in the garment factories of Bangladesh and provide guidance for policymakers and groups concerned with the working conditions of garment workers in Bangladesh and elsewhere.

How does the Labour of Women Unveil the Coloniality of Power? An Anthropological Context of the RMG (Readymade Garments) Workers of Bangladesh

The readymade garments workers in Bangladesh are the most important persons in the economy of Bangladesh. Without their contribution, we have not got the status of a middle-income country. There is a distinct similarity between the garment’s workers and slavery in terms of the long work hours, wage gap, and curbing human rights. This research is focused on the relation between power and labor in the garment factory. So, this paper is based on the theory of ‘Coloniality of Power’ by Anibal Quijano (2000). It is investigating how the labourers have become modern ‘slaves’, how they are being treated, and how their flesh and blood are used to bear the practice of colonialism. This paper concludes with some recommendations for stopping this practice.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of the Rickshaw-Puller in Bangladesh

The COVID-19 Pandemic has affected people’s health, mental health, livelihood, and well-being of people across all sectors. In this research, we were interested in studying first-hand accounts of rickshaw-pullers, a segment of informal workers in Bangladesh who have suffered greatly from the virus and its effects. The pandemic has undoubtedly resulted in an increased level of anxiety and fear among the rickshaw-pullers. This article features an in-depth interview conducted by 11 respondents about their experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We explored the rickshaw-pullers’ perceptions and attitudes toward the COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect on their mental well-being, considering the consequence of present circumstances.

Breastfeeding practices after a counselling intervention for factory workers in Bangladesh.

Breastfeeding may be particularly challenging for female factory workers who have long working hours and inadequate access to health information and care. In Chattogram, Bangladesh, a peer counselling intervention was undertaken to improve infant feeding practices of factory workers. Counselling started during pregnancy and continued until children were 18 months old. This article presents the results of a cross‐sectional survey undertaken during 2 weeks in March–April 2017, after the project's conclusion. The aim was to compare breastfeeding practices, specifically early breastfeeding initiation and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), among factory workers who had received peer counselling in the intervention areas (IA) with those of non‐counselled factory workers in the nearby comparison areas (CA). Six female interviewers, trained over 3 days, conducted interviews at the workers' homes. Data were analysed to assess the association of peer counselling with infant feeding practices. Factory workers (N = 382) with infants between 0 and 18 months of age participated in the survey, in IA (n = 188) and in CA (n = 194). Although there were more health facility deliveries among the CA workers, only 43 (22%) of those workers had initiated breastfeeding within 1 h of birth versus 166 (88%) of the IA workers (p < .001). EBF prevalence on 24‐h recall in infants aged 0–6 months was only 7/83 (8%) for the CA workers versus 73/75 (97%) for IA workers (p < .001). The survey showed that breastfeeding practices of factory workers in the IA after the intervention were significantly better than those of factory workers in the CA.

Telepsychiatry as a mental health intervention for garment workers in Bangladesh: A ‘Need of Hour’ during COVID-19?

Telepsychiatry as a mental health intervention for garment workers in Bangladesh: A ‘Need of Hour’ during COVID-19?

Psychiatric Morbidities among Female Sex Workers in Bangladesh: an Observational Study

Psychiatric Morbidities among Female Sex Workers in Bangladesh: an Observational Study