ABSTRACT
This chapter critically analyzes some challenges of sustainability of the Bangladesh garment industry. These are lower labour productivity, absence of a unified code of conduct or audit, the declining price offered by the buyers, the scaling up of upgrading initiatives, and the impact of COVID-19 on suppliers. Data from two research projects and secondary materials has been used to explore the management perspective of these challenges. The structural barrier is the main factor of lower labour productivity in the industry along with frequent migration of workers to another factory. Although there has been a similarity in different audits, the presence of various types of audits has caused frustration to the management due to the absence of a uniform compliance monitoring system. The continuous price decline is another way to push the entrepreneurs backstage. To minimize these pressures, upgrading the factory is going on, but there is also a concern about its sustainability. This chapter finds that these sustainability issues can be addressed well by expanding the capacity of management, working together with key stakeholders, and establishing the tangible effect of initiatives.
