Widespread labour violations in Savar Tannery Estate, says new study

Around two-thirds of tannery workers in the Tannery Industrial Area in Hemayetpur, Savar, are employed on a temporary basis, while 77% are paid less than the legal minimum wage, according to a new study.

The study, jointly conducted by the Bangladesh Tannery Workers Union and the Solidarity Center between August and November this year, used a standardised inspection checklist and worker interviews. The findings were presented on Sunday at a multi-stakeholder meeting in Dhaka.

Based on shadow inspections and interviews with 225 workers from 121 factories, the study documents widespread temporary employment arrangements, wage discrepancies, and limited access to occupational safety measures.

While 77% of workers reported earnings below the legally mandated minimum wage, only one-fifth said they receive payslips, and a majority described their wage payments as irregular or delayed.

Forty-two per cent said they work more than ten hours a day, and 33% reported working all seven days of the week. Some 63% said they do not receive the legally required double-rate overtime pay.

The study also reports that only one-third of workers receive personal protective equipment (PPE), 58% said they are not given guidance on proper PPE use, and 77% stated they have not received any formal health and safety training.

Workers additionally cited issues such as inadequate ventilation, persistent odour, waterlogging, and poor waste management.

According to the report, 85% of female participants said they do not receive maternity leave or benefits, and almost one-third noted the absence of clean, separate toilet facilities for women.

The study found significant gaps in grievance handling, with one-third of workers reporting no formal process for lodging wage or safety complaints, and 43% saying they have experienced some form of mistreatment, often avoiding complaints due to fear of retaliation.

It also shows that unionised factories perform better across key compliance areas, including minimum wage implementation, written contracts, wage-related complaint systems, and access to protective equipment.

At the event, Solidarity Center Country Programme Director AKM Nasim said the shadow inspection highlighted and reinforced the difficult conditions workers continue to face, even after the relocation of tannery factories from Hazaribagh to Hemayetpur.

"It is evident that workers’ issues are still not a priority for the enforcement agencies. This is reflected in the large number of workers kept on a ‘contractual’ basis and the continued non-implementation of the minimum wages in the sector," he added.