2020 Volume 7 Pages 89-108
A large number of female garment workers in Bangladesh, who migrated from the countryside to urban areas, are facing severe housing issues. Most live in slums or squatter settlements. As the readymade garment industry significantly contributes to Bangladesh’s economy, the government was concerned about this housing issue, and built a dormitory-type residence especially for female garment workers. Although the accommodation came with essential facilities and low rent, it failed to attract female garment workers. Therefore, this study aims to discover what element is considered crucial from workers’ perspectives regarding housing choices, specifically in terms of dormitory-type housing. A choice-based conjoint (CBC) analysis was performed by conducting a questionnaire survey by visiting workers’ houses. Part-worth utilities and marginal willingnessto-pay were evaluated to determine the importance of each attribute. From the CBC analysis, privacy, along with larger room area space, were found to be the most important attributes. Based on the findings, the study also makes recommendations to refurbish dormitory-type houses for future project planning.
