The work environment of female workers: A sociological study in Dhaka North City Corporation, Bangladesh

This paper examines the work environment of female workers in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Bangladesh, synthesising recent empirical research and policy documents and proposing a mixed-methods research design for future primary investigation. Bangladesh’s female labour force participation remains substantially lower than men’s and is characterised by high informality, precarious working conditions, gendered occupational segregation, and exposure to harassment and poor social protections. In urban Dhaka, the majority of working women—especially migrants and those employed in the informal economy and the ready-made garment (RMG) sector—face multiple vulnerabilities, including unsafe workplaces, inadequate maternity and social protections, precarious income, long hours, and gender-based violence. These conditions are shaped by structural factors (labour regulations, market incentives), socio-cultural norms (gender roles, mobility restrictions), and urban constraints (transport, childcare, housing). Drawing on World Bank, ILO, peer-reviewed studies, government labour law, and rigorous qualitative accounts from Dhaka, this paper develops a theoretical framework grounded in the Capability Approach and labour-process perspectives, and outlines a detailed mixed-methods methodology to systematically study the issue in DNCC. The paper concludes with policy recommendations to improve female workers’ well-being and work environment, and a prioritised research agenda for DNCC stakeholders.