According to recently published study ‘Understanding the Gender Composition and Experience of Ready-Made Garment (RMG) Workers in Bangladesh,’ jointly conducted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UN Women which maintained how majority of the women workers in the readymade garment sector were still concentrated in low-paid jobs, have also underlined harassment and violence amongst major factors in both men and women workers leaving their jobs.

Pregnancy amongst women workers also is a big reason behind leaving jobs, it said.

Pregnant workers face severe challenges, and are often pressured into quitting their jobs, the report underlined while adding that 60 per cent of both male and female workers surveyed experienced insults and shouting from supervisors/line managers repeatedly with around 25 per cent of the surveyed garment workers citing harassment and violence at workplace as major reasons for leaving jobs.

Lack of job security, long working hours, negative effects on health and factory owners’ unwillingness to hire older workers are amongst reasons for RMG workers leaving jobs before reaching the regular age of retirement, the report further added.

Average expected age of RMG worker is 36.4, the report underlined while adding that more than 70 per cent of all workers surveyed were 29 years old or younger.