Bangladesh’s Ready-made Garment Industry in the Era of Sustainable Development: A Triple Bottom Line Appraisal

Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry, the world’s second-largest apparel exporter, stands at the forefront of both economic transformation and sustainability crises. This study critically investigates the multidimensional sustainability landscape of the Bangladeshi RMG sector through the integrated lens of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, encompassing economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Employing a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods case study, the research draws on thematic content analysis of secondary sources, including peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, audit reports, and national statistics from 2010 to 2024. Findings reveal structural contradictions in the sector’s development trajectory. While Bangladesh leads globally in green factory certifications and contributes over 84% to national exports, these advancements are unevenly distributed and heavily concentrated among elite exporters. The study identifies persistent wage stagnation, union suppression, and environmental non-compliance among SMEs and subcontractors, despite post-Rana Plaza reforms. It also uncovers limited adoption of circular economy models and technological innovation, underscoring the sector's vulnerability to global market volatility and supply chain pressures.