Year

2023

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

School of Humanities and Social Inquiry

Abstract

Globalisation is a power-driven force serving the vested interests of a group of people. More precisely, it is the extension of the capitalist mode of production and deregulation, where international firms operate their trade and business without much government interference. Transnational corporations' expansion of capital in developing countries has played a crucial role in the rise of globalisation since the 1980s. The Bangladesh Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry's development has occurred in the tidal flow of globalisation and neoliberalism, which began in the 1980s.

The Government of Bangladesh and the RMG factory owners and managers seldom lead national policy development to improve workers' health and safety and workers' compensation arrangements. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) has rarely been given high priority because developing nations need more resources and institutional support. Bangladesh is no exception. In Bangladesh, globalisation has seen the number of RMG factories grow from 384 in 1984-85 to more than 7000 in 2023. By 2015-2016, these factories employed about 4 million workers, which has now grown to over 6 million. Eighty per cent of current RMG industry workers are migrant rural women, and these workers, in particular, have been subject to severe exploitation in the era of globalisation and neoliberalism.

This thesis explores the impact of globalisation on OHS regulation and practices in the RMG industry in Bangladesh. More specifically, this thesis examines the reasons for the failures of OHS policy, practice and regulation for RMG workers in Bangladesh. This thesis further investigates factors that have determined or influenced the Government of Bangladesh to implement OHS policy in the RMG industry. Furthermore, this thesis demonstrates the state, employers, factory owners, and other international agencies' substantial role in Bangladesh's RMG industry’s OHS regulation between 2012 and 2017. Finally, the study results show that the sector needs strict government control by enforcing the National Labour Act 2006 (amended in 2013), ILO conventions, and international oversight to ensure that the industry is orderly and sustainable during the phase of globalisation and neoliberalism.

FoR codes (2008)

1605 POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION, 1699 OTHER STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY, 1899 OTHER LAW AND LEGAL STUDIES

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Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Wollongong.