Summary
Bangladesh is one of the leading exporters of ready-made garments (RMG) in the world. Around four million Bangladeshis are employed in the RMG industry, the majority of whom are women and girls. Within this critical sector of the Bangladeshi economy and of global markets, exploitation of vulnerable workers remains pervasive. While international attention on the garment industry increased after the Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013, more than ten years later decent working conditions for the millions of people employed in this sector are far from having been secured. The primary aim of this study was to document the existence of forced labour and child labour within the RMG industry in Bangladesh, with additional focus on hidden and undocumented subcontracted worksites. Documenting the existence of home-based production in the sector was an additional objective.