Remarkable Solutions for RMG Workers You Need To Consider

Solutions for RMG workers housing in Bangladesh is vital for ensuring their well-being, productivity, and safety. Affordable, secure housing reduces commute stress, enhances work-life balance, and supports better health. It also fosters a stable workforce, boosting industry efficiency and economic growth. Arch-bangla is presenting a thesis project of BUET in the year of 2024.
Project Title: WOVEN WELL-BEING – HOUSING AND CHILDCARE SOLUTIONS FOR RMG WORKERS
Location: Ashulia
Student Name: Fiha Binte Hafiz
Studio: Thesis (X) Studio
Studio Guide: Dr. Shayer Ghafur, Md Tariquzzaman
Year: 2024
University: Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)

 

Project Brief: WOVEN WELL-BEING – HOUSING AND CHILDCARE SOLUTIONS FOR RMG WORKERS

The ready-made garment (RMG) industry acts as the powerhouse of Bangladesh’s economy, contributing 80% to the nation’s export earnings and providing employment for more than four million people, predominantly women.  While the sector has grown rapidly, general well-being among workers in this sector remains a matter of great concern; especially, some terms of housing and child care are severely compromised.  Most of the workers stay in overcrowded and poorly maintained houses closer to factories at very expensive rent compared to their very low incomes. Besides, the long working hours and lack of childcare facilities make it extremely difficult for working mothers, who then have to make the painful choice of leaving their children at home.

The selected site for this redesign project is located in Ashulia, a densely populated industrial zone near Dhaka. The present “Kormojibi Mohila Hostel for Garments Workers” is surrounded by textile factories, and the site location is suitable to provide easy access for workers. Currently, it includes a 12-story dormitory built for female garment workers. However, the facility has not been utilized much because of its dormitory-style layout, lack of privacy, insufficient sanitation, and inadequate utilities.  The design decisions for the new proposal are made based on the Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) done on the existing dormitory residents and a questionnaire survey is done on the workers residing in site surrounding areas.

Project Objective: WOVEN WELL-BEING – HOUSING AND CHILDCARE SOLUTIONS FOR RMG WORKERS

An integrated housing approach is envisioned in this new design proposal for RMG workers, incorporating sustainability, affordability, and user-oriented design. This will have modular dwelling units designed for various user groups: single males, families, single females, and single mothers. Each unit is designed to balance privacy and shared facilities, with space optimization, ensuring cost efficiency without compromising living standards. It also involves ample natural ventilation, sunlight, and green spaces in the layout for physical and mental well-being and reduced energy demands. A major focus is given to using as much locally available material-for example, brick-to maintain cost-effectiveness with climate responsiveness.

On-site daycare facilities are added to address the childcare needs of working parents. These centers have specific areas for rest, playing, and learning, thus providing a very conducive environment for children. Besides, vocational training centers within the complex offer skill enhancement opportunities for the RMG workers to empower them economically. Rooftop gardens, shared courtyards, and recreational areas make for hubs that help interact and relax, adding to the overall quality of life of the residents. The design output also aligns with some major Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the UN.

The Woven Well-being project aims to assure general well-being through better livelihoods among the workers. Improvement in the living conditions and social infrastructure for RMG workers has to address physical, emotional, and economic needs. This design proposal ultimately can be a model that can be replicated in many other issues faced by Bangladesh’s industrial sector in the future.

Jury Comments: WOVEN WELL-BEING – HOUSING AND CHILDCARE SOLUTIONS FOR RMG WORKERS

The project earned widespread appreciation for its potential in resolving Bangladesh RMG workers’ critical housing and childcare problem. It was regarded as a thoughtful and effective scheme that harmoniously integrates security, community welfare, and affordability, and creates a respectful and empowering living environment for workers.

The jury liked that social, economic, and spatial requirements have been addressed in an integral manner and helped in creating social cohesion and developing resilience in workers. It was regarded as a problem-solving model that not only provides secure housing but access to training, social spaces, and childcare, and in a larger scheme of things, a rise in workers’ overall living standards. It received criticism for a single point, that a deeper consideration for cost optimisation options could have even better supported the proposal.

CONTACT DETAILS

Name: Fiha Binte Hafiz
Email: fiha.hafiz@gmail.com
Social media page link: https://www.facebook.com/fiha.bintehafiz.1/