Women account for nearly half of the workforce in Bangladesh’s textile sector but remain underrepresented in chemical-intensive wet processing and supervisory and managerial positions, experts said at a national consultation in Dhaka on Monday.
The consultation, organised by the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) in collaboration with the Department of Environment (DoE) and project partners, focused on strengthening gender-responsive chemical management and occupational health and safety in the textile industry.
The event featured findings from the national gender assessment and a draft National Gender Action Plan (NGAP), outlining measures to improve women workers’ access to chemical safety information, protective equipment, training and workplace decision-making.
Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, regional gender expert, said women accounted for 48.5% of the workforce across 25 textile mills assessed in Bangladesh. However, they remained underrepresented in wet processing and managerial roles.
He stressed that chemical safety measures must address women’s specific occupational risks while ensuring equal access to training and appropriate personal protective equipment.
Kazi Suman, deputy director of the DoE and national focal point, said the regional project aims to reduce hazardous chemical use in the textile sectors of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam. Chemical inventories are being developed in 125 factories, while safer alternatives have so far been introduced in two factories, alongside capacity-building initiatives.
Dr Mahfuzul Haque, national project coordinator, said more than three million people work in Bangladesh’s textile sector, many of them women. Exposure to chemicals of concern and persistent organic pollutants can pose reproductive health risks to both men and women, he added.
Dr Md Saidur Rahman, additional secretary to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said the government wanted to work with industries to reduce chemical use rather than rely solely on enforcement. He also urged the DoE to ensure that textile factories operate both biological and chemical effluent treatment plants, citing pollution of the Turag, Shitalakkhya and Buriganga rivers.
The draft action plan identifies gaps in risk assessment, protective equipment, safety training, reproductive health measures and sex-disaggregated data. Its implementation will require coordinated efforts by government agencies, factory management and workers, speakers said.
Parvez Chowdhury, director of the DoE and moderator of the consultation, said women should not be excluded from chemical-intensive jobs because of safety risks; instead, workplaces must be made safe for them.
Siddika Sultana, Executive Director of ESDO and National Gender Expert Siddika Sultana stated “The gender assessment identified gaps in gender-responsive risk assessments, PPE, safety training, reproductive health and sex-disaggregated data. The draft National Gender Action Plan offers a practical framework with clear actions, defined responsibilities and measurable targets. However, its effective implementation will require shared ownership among government agencies, factories and workers.”
Professor Dr. Shahriar Hossain, Senior Technical Advisor, ESDO, said, “Gender should be addressed through equity and justice rather than a focus on women alone, since the project covers all workers, employees and management exposed to chemicals.