The legal minimum wage does no equal a living wage. Wages are extremely low;
Bangladesh garment workers are the lowest paid in the world.
Government bodies in
charge of building and fire safety, such as the inspectorate of Factories and
Establishments fail to carry out their tasks adequately. While the Bangladeshi
garment industry has been growing at a rapid pace, the labour inspectorate is
dramatically understaffed. According to the Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health
and Environment Foundation, in 2008 there were only 80 inspectors in the entire
country—including 20 inspectors for occupational health and safety— for 24,299
factories, three million shops and establishments, and two major ports.
26
According to
a 2011 International Labour Organization (ILO) report, the number of labour
inspectors had increased to 93 in 2010. However, the number of new workplaces has
also dramatically increased during this period. In addition, the ILO noted that the
number of inspectors devoted to occupational safety and health has remained the
same over the last 26 years
