Behind every shirt stitched in Bangladesh lies the story of resilience and sacrifice. The average readymade garment (RMG) worker earns around Tk 12,800 a month—an amount that scarcely covers her most basic needs. By the time Tk 3,500 goes to rent and Tk 500 to electricity, she is left with just Tk 6,000 to feed herself and her family. The last Tk 2,800 must somehow stretch to cover her children’s education, healthcare, and other essentials (The Daily Star). It is a fragile balancing act, made even more precarious by rising food inflation.
Food inflation in Bangladesh continues to inch upward, with staples like rice, wheat, oil, sugar, eggs, and vegetables becoming more expensive each month. The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) further reports that 43% of RMG workers suffer from malnutrition, a stark reminder that wages alone cannot ensure food security. Even the government’s own Household Income and Expenditure Survey makes it clear: to stay above the poverty line, one must be able to consume at least 2,122 kilocalories a day. For many workers, this remains out of reach.
What makes the problem worse is accessibility. Workers cannot take advantage of existing facilities such as the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) or DG Food’s Open Market Sale (OMS) programs. These programs, while impactful, operate during hours when workers are confined to factories. The result: those who need subsidized food the most remain excluded.
The demand for rations is not new. In fact, it was a key part of the 18-point demand placed by RMG workers last year, which factory owners accepted. Meeting this demand is not just a matter of economics; it is a matter of dignity, health, and fairness.
Providing subsidized essentials such as rice, oil, sugar, wheat, eggs, and vegetables exclusively for RMG workers is therefore not just necessary, but urgent. It directly addresses malnutrition, cushions families against inflation, and ensures that workers can devote their energy to building Bangladesh’s most vital export industry without having to choose between food and education for their children.
At Apon, we believe that when workers are nourished, they are empowered. A ration program tailored for them is not charity rather justice. It is an investment in their well-being, in their families, and in the future of our nation’s most important workforce.
