Sadika Sharmin^{1, 2,}, Noor Aman Bin A. Hamid³, Wan Abdul Manan Bin Wan Muda²

A significant number of female workers (1.6 million) are employed in different types of garment factories. Garment factory workers in Bangladesh are the lowest paid workers in the world. Achieving food security and other basic needs are a challenge due to financial constraints. The purpose of this study was to examine the food insecurity of women garment factory workers in Bangladesh. The study was carried out using a cross-sectional survey. The validated Bengali version of the Cornell-Radimer questionnaire was used for the purpose of collecting data on food insecurity. Logistic regression was performed to assess the association of food insecurity with socio-demographic, socio-economic and working condition variables. The results found that 71.9 percent of the women garment factory workers’ households faced food insecurity and 28.1 percent were food secure. Household size (OR2.02, 95% CI, 1.52-2.69, P=<0.001), being the head of the household (OR 0.42, 95% CI, 0.21- 0.82, P=0.012), and job satisfaction felt by the respondents (OR 0.50, 95% CI, 0.32-0.79, P= 0.003) were associated factors linked to food insecurity of women garment factory workers. To maintain food security, the government should raise the workers’ salary in tandem with the food prices in the market. Overtime salary per hour should be increased and proper payment of extra working hours should be ensured.

food insecurity, women garment factory workers, prevalence, Bangladesh