Working overtime is a common practice in many industries, but in the context of Bangladesh it holds particular significance. An excellent illustration of this is Bangladesh's quickly expanding textile and garment industry. Our nation is a significant player in the worldwide garment sector, and to meet production deadlines and fulfill orders from abroad, workers in factories are frequently required to work long hours, including going overtime.
While providing employment opportunities, this practice has raised concerns about worker rights, safety, and fair compensation. In Bangladesh, overtime rules and policies govern the norms and guidelines about working hours that surpass the usual or regular working hours, along with the remuneration offered for such additional work.
Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 2(4) defines working hours as the hours employees are available to employers, excluding breaks for food and rest. Section 102 of the Labour Act states that workers must work eight hours daily, and that a one-hour lunch break should be part of any shift longer than the six-hour work limit, and a 30-minute lunch break is required for changes lasting five hours. In Bangladesh, labourers can work up to 48 hours in a workweek and 60 hours a week, including overtime. Every employee, including those on the night shift, should have a 24-hour rest between shifts. However, the average yearly workweek can be, at times, as high as 56 hours.
In contrast, the United States has a defined working hours system, with male employees limited to 8.4 hours and females to 7.7 hours, promoting gender equality and considering economic factors like labour demand, human dignity, and health issues. Bangladesh and the US have vastly different working conditions, with Bangladesh lacking significant minimum salaries to protect its population from inflation, while the US offers a high standard of living. Bangladesh's GDP is growing at 7-8% annually, surpassing the US and UK. This suggests similar growth in the future.
According to a 2018 survey, in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, about 62% of employees work 12 hours a day, and roughly 23% work 10 hours. Only 4% of respondents said they work eight hours daily, while approximately 12% work more than 12 hours.
According to the Labour Act, overtime work is defined as work performed beyond the regular working hours. For overtime work, the worker should receive 1.5 times their regular hourly compensation for each hour of overtime that they put in. While the legal framework in Bangladesh provides guidelines for overtime compensation and limits to safeguard workers, the practical implementation may vary.
The Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013 saw the literal collapse of a garment factory, highlighting poor working conditions and safety measures in the garment industry highlighting the need for better labour practices. In a circular published on May 11, 2023, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said that the garment industry would not be subject to the labour law's sections 100, 102, and 105 concerning overtime and working hours. “The lives of garment workers during Covid-19,” a joint survey by Microfinance Opportunities (MFO) and the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), revealed that the garment workers’ income rose in the first three months of 2022, primarily because of overtime and an excessive workload.
The survey study states that, during January and March of 2023, the workers put in 11 hours of effort every day. In most situations, the plant management forces the workers to work an extra two hours of overtime each day. The government has extended the six-month overtime limit for workers in the export-oriented RMG industry by two hours, allowing factories to request two hours of overtime daily in exchange for double pay. RMG exporters who comply with labour legislation and contribute 0.03% of their export revenues to the RMG central fund are granted a six-month conditional waiver.
Bangladesh needs collaboration between companies, employees, and the government to establish regulations, promote efficient work practices, and prioritize workforce well-being, while also ensuring fair working conditions and legal compliance with the Labour Act 2006.
Overtime work is often accompanied by issues like inadequate labour law enforcement, low wages, and sub-standard working conditions, which pose challenges for both workers and employers. As the country continues to develop and expand its industries, it becomes essential to balance productivity and ensure the workforce's well-being, addressing the complex issue of working overtime from the Bangladesh perspective.
Sahara Tuj Zohra is a freelance contributor.
