Out of the shadows: Women and wage struggle in the RMG industry of Bangladesh

Soma Dey & Palash Basak 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2017 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.23 No.2

The export-oriented readymade garment (RMG) industry of Bangladesh has flourished quite rapidly, taking the advantage of the considerable supply of local labor. From its very beginning, RMG entrepreneurs have been showing greater interest in recruiting ‘timid’ women to ensure administrative control over the workers. Thus, labor exploitation by providing low and irregular wages has sustained this sector. Shedding light on women’s agency and choice, this article shows that so far the apparently ‘silent’ workers permit the global industry to continue with ‘cheap’ labor, driven by a gendered ideology, structural and material constraints. But women workers are moving forward to ensure wage justice. Assessing the achievements and drawbacks of the wage struggle, our study envisions women’s more effective role in securing wider labor rights in the RMG sector.

Deforestation and the Garo Women of Modhupur Garh, Bangladesh

Soma Dey 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2008 Asian Women Vol.24 No.3

Germination and Growth Performance of A Native Threatened Tree Species Quercus gomeziana A. Camus in Nursery Stage : Case of Bangladesh

Rajasree Nandi,Soma Dey,Mohammed Kamal Hossain 강원대학교 산림과학연구소 2020 Journal of Forest Science Vol. No.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different pre-sowing treatments of seeds on germination and growth performance of native threatened tree species Quercus gomeziana A. Camus at the nursery of Chittagong University, Bangladesh. Furthermore, seedling growth attributes under different doses of fertilizer (urea) was also experimented to find the best dose of fertilizer on this tree species at the nursery stage for better field level growth. Seeds were placed to six pre-sowing treatments e.g. control (PT0), treated with sand paper rubbing (PT1), nicking (PT2), seeds immersed in cold water for 48 hours (PT3), seeds immersed in cold water for 7 days (PT4) and seeds sown at propagator house with increased temperature (PT5). It was found from the study that germination was started earlier (at 31 days) in treatments sand paper rubbing (PT1) and nicking (PT2). The highest germination percentage (93%) was in PT1 followed by 86% in seeds immersed in cold water for 7 days (PT4) and 80% in PT0 (control). Germination percentage was observed least (63%) in PT2 even though germination started earlier. For fertilizer dose experiment to seedlings at the nursery level, treatment FT1: 100 kg/ha (0.33679 g urea/pot/seedling) comparing with other treatments FT0: 0 kg/ha (Control), FT2: 200 kg/ha (0.67358 g urea/pot/seedling), FT3: 300 kg/ha (1.01037 g urea/pot/seedling) showed better performance in case of collar diameter (6.74 mm), number of leaves, shoot dry weight (19.74), total dry weight (28.16 g), total fresh weight (67.96 g), volume index (3904.82), sturdiness (127.69). Finally, it can be concluded that Quercus gomeziana seedlings revealed better performances under the treatment FT1 in growth and biomass production. Findings of this study will be helpful to take decision on organic fertilizer dose application to seedlings of Q. gomeziana for large scale plantation and conservation of this species.

Riverbank erosion and its impact on rural women: Case study of Ulania village in Bangladesh

Khadiza Akter,Soma Dey,Shaakeel Hasan 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2019 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.25 No.1

Riverbank erosion is one of the major natural hazards that have long-term consequences for human life. Bangladesh, a riverine country, regularly suffers from serious riverbank erosion. As a result, thousands of people, living near or along riverbanks, are displaced every year. Based on a field investigation undertaken in a village of Southern Bangladesh, this study examines how rural women cope with riverbank erosion. It reveals that women remain highly dependent on their surrounding environment to perform a wide range of activities. As a result, displacement due to riverbank erosion severely affects them. This article also shows that despite the socio-economic, cultural and gender barriers, women build diverse strategies to carry on with their lives in a new environment. Our findings identify women's capacity to face adversities due to natural hazards and how they use their own agency to influence social transformation.

From vulnerability to resilience : A study of the livelihood struggles of tiger widows in Bangladesh

Nahid Sultana,Soma Dey 이화여자대학교 한국여성연구원 2021 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.27 No.1

Livelihood management is a severe challenge in the coastal area near the Sundarbans mangrove forests of Bangladesh. Human-tiger conflict in the area further complicates the situation and generates a group of women known as tiger widows who have lost their husbands because of attacks by tigers. They are therefore socially stigmatized as cursed and harbingers of bad luck. As a result, the lives of these widows in rural and geographically remote locations are full of suffering and hardships, especially with respect to their being able to manage livelihoods. This article discusses their vulnerabilities and difficult lives in this antagonistic eco-social setting. It also reveals their adoption of different livelihood strategies backed by some NGOs’ development assistance, whereby they become able to secure the survival and well-being of their families. Furthermore, our findings show how the widows have developed capacities to transform their own lives from utter misery to gain socioeconomic stability by fighting patriarchal constraints and also influencing other women to become self-reliant.

Germination and Growth Performance of A Native Threatened Tree Species Quercus gomeziana A. Camus in Nursery Stage: Case of Bangladesh

Rajasree Nandi,Soma Dey,Mohammed Kamal Hossain 강원대학교 산림과학연구소 2020 Journal of Forest Science Vol.36 No.1

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different pre-sowing treatments of seeds on germination and growth performance of native threatened tree species Quercus gomeziana A. Camus at the nursery of Chittagong University, Bangladesh. Furthermore, seedling growth attributes under different doses of fertilizer (urea) was also experimented to find the best dose of fertilizer on this tree species at the nursery stage for better field level growth. Seeds were placed to six pre-sowing treatments e.g. control (PT0), treated with sand paper rubbing (PT1), nicking (PT2), seeds immersed in cold water for 48 hours (PT3), seeds immersed in cold water for 7 days (PT4) and seeds sown at propagator house with increased temperature (PT5). It was found from the study that germination was started earlier (at 31 days) in treatments sand paper rubbing (PT1) and nicking (PT2). The highest germination percentage (93%) was in PT1 followed by 86% in seeds immersed in cold water for 7 days (PT4) and 80% in PT0 (control). Germination percentage was observed least (63%) in PT2 even though germination started earlier. For fertilizer dose experiment to seedlings at the nursery level, treatment FT1: 100 kg/ha (0.33679 g urea/pot/seedling) comparing with other treatments FT0: 0 kg/ha (Control), FT2: 200 kg/ha (0.67358 g urea/pot/seedling), FT3: 300 kg/ha (1.01037 g urea/pot/seedling) showed better performance in case of collar diameter (6.74 mm), number of leaves, shoot dry weight (19.74), total dry weight (28.16 g), total fresh weight (67.96 g), volume index (3904.82), sturdiness (127.69). Finally, it can be concluded that Q uercus gomeziana seedlings revealed better performances under the treatment FT1 in growth and biomass production. Findings of this study will be helpful to take decision on organic fertilizer dose application to seedlings of Q. gomeziana for large scale plantation and conservation of this species.

Does Inward Foreign Direct Investments Affect Export Performance of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises in India? An Empirical Analysis

SINGHA, Seema,KUMAR, Brajesh,CHOUDHURY, Soma Roy Dey Korea Distribution Science Association 2022 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.9 No.9

This article examines the effect of inward foreign direct investments (FDI) on the export performance of micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India, and investigates the spillover impact and absorption capacity of the MSMEs sector. For the first time, the researchers applied the intersectoral linkage approach to investigate the matter and used a panel dataset between 2006 and 2017. The coefficients of forward and backward linkages are estimated by using the Rasmussen method, the study employs a basic linear panel data model, followed by various diagnostic tests to identify the problem of heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation / serial correlation, cross-sectional dependencies, multicollinearity, time-individual specific tests, and unobserved effects. The PCSE model was applied for robust standard error and the Hausman-Taylor IV model to check the robustness of the result generated in the linear panel data model. Despite the high prevalence of forward and backward intersectoral connections and the Lack of absorption capacity of local firms, the results show that FDI has little of an impact on the export performance of micro, small, and medium-sized businesses in India. This study adds to the existing literature on determining local firms' spillover effect and absorption capacity in response to inward FDI.