Unsung story of female workers of shrimp sindustries

Morzina, Arifa, Hamida, Sohely-obviously these are not very popular names. But, one will hear such characteristic names or come across such faces if one visits Bangladesh's coastal areas where shrimp industries have flourished. These poor women, through their hard labour and devotion, have developed the prospective industry, which earns foreign currency worth around 270 million US dollars annually by exporting organic shrimps.

Rupsha sub-district of greater Khulna district is a place where there are hundreds of women at work day and night in shrimp processing plants and depots. The industrial units have developed here because organic shrimps are produced in the saline-water zone. Interestingly, women comprise the majority of the workers of this industry, like the country's ready-made garment (RMG) industries. However, like RMG the shrimp industry is yet to take proper shape of a full-fledged industry which has paved the way for depriving female workers of their genuine rights.

Cultivation of saline-water shrimp and prawn has been continuing in the paddy fields of Khulna-Satkhira-Bagerhat coastal-belt of the greater Khulna district for the last 30 years. These organic shrimps have got market in Europe, America and Japan. Some 50 frozen food industrial units, in other words shrimp processing plants, have been established in Khulna alone, of which around 20 are in operation on a regular basis.

The way of exploitation of female workers of these shrimp processing plants is a bit different. At present, most of the workers cannot enjoy essential legal rights : the labours are to work for 12 hours at a stretch instead of standard 8 hours, two weekly holidays are allowed instead of four in a month and medical-leave is not also easy to get.

Moreover, on an average an industrial unit has a total number of 200-400 workers who are taken through contractors on a contract but temporary basis. It is alleged that the contractors take away a certain portion of their monthly-wages of taka 1200-1500. But the workers do not dare to bargain because of two reasons-(1) they may lose their job any time; (2) unemployed female workers are easily available.

Moreover, workers in these industrial units are not allowed to form Trade Union and as a result, they cannot fight for their causes.

Workers of these industrial units are generally deprived of basic human rights like; (1) right to take protection of law (as most of them have got no appointment letter) (2) right to claim equal wages for the same amount of labour/work as of their male counterparts (3) right to form/join Trade Union and (4) right to get medical and other leaves.

Naturally, anyone may raise the question whether the Labour Ministry plays any role to look after the interest of these workers. When asked to comment, Chief Inspector of Factories Dr. ASM Sirajuddin admitted that they have got not enough manpower to do any assigned job. He, However, said, "We try to solve problems seriously and sincerely on the basis of complaints lodged by any party of victim." He said that the Factory Inspection Department, which has got some 226 officers and employees, requires about 1,000 -strong manpower to perform their job smoothly. He said that a portion of the required manpower can even be managed by incorporating some officers and employees from other government departments, where surplus staff is available.

It may be mentioned that Bangladeshi frozen shrimp and prawn export represents 2.2 to 3.0 percent of the total volume and 2.1 to 2.7 percent of the value of the world's frozen shrimp and prawn export. The price per kg received by Bangladeshi shrimp exporters has recently been 7-16 percent lower than the price received by other shrimp producing countries in Asia. Bangladesh has increasingly relied on three major markets for frozen shrimps: United States, European Union and Japan. According to an estimate of late 90s, Bangladesh frozen shrimp exports into the three markets reached a maximum of $ 287.6 million in 1996 with USA accounting for $ 108.8 million and Japan $ 69.2 million.

However, to give a boost to the production in this sector the government should protect the rights of the workers by strengthening the factory inspection department and formulating a national policy for the shrimp industry, which will ultimately benefit both workers and exporters. Otherwise, sufferings of female workers like Morzina, Arifa, Hamida, Sohely will never end.

( PIB/UNICEF Featue.)