The percentage of women in Bangladesh’s apparel sector has reached 65 per cent. Men make up 35 per cent. Earlier the engagement of women workers was estimated to be 80 per cent. This means men have ramped up their share. Women workers in the woven sector have a 71 per cent share. It’s 54 per cent in sweater factories, 58 per cent in knitwear factories.

Nearly 1.4 million male and 2.6 million female workers are currently working in the country’s garment industry. The average experience of workers in the industry varies between grades. The youngest ones (in grade 7) have been working for about three years on an average, while workers in grade 1 have been working for about 12 years. About 86 per cent of the factories are direct exporters, 8.6 per cent are engaged in both direct exports as well as sub-contracting from others while 5.5 per cent are only sub-contractors.

Nearly 60 per cent of workers earn their living from the garment industry alone. In terms of asset ownership, 86 per cent have mobile phones, 68 per cent have television, 84 per cent have electric fans, 75 per cent have own home and 28 per cent have gold ornaments.