Most of us at least once in our life have worn the tag Made in Bangladesh on our clothes. You can find such garments sold by popular clothing retailers around the world. Yet, the fast pace and massive scale of production pose risks for the workers, who often face challenging conditions. openIMIS in Bangladesh supports these workers by improving access to insurance. To help the initiative, SolDevelo conducted on-site workshops in Dhaka, training local teams to equip them with everything they need to know about the system.

The challenges faced by Bangladeshi textile industry

The country’s ready-made garment (RMG) industry employs more than 4 million people, predominantly women, who form the backbone of its workforce. With competitive labor costs, efficient manufacturing capabilities, and government support through favorable trade policies, Bangladesh has attracted major global brands. Despite challenges, such as factory safety issues highlighted by incidents like the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse, the industry has made significant strides in sustainability and compliance, with many factories now meeting international safety and environmental standards.

openIMIS improving insurance schemes management

One significant advancement in Bangladesh’s textile sector is the introduction of an accident insurance scheme, developed by the German development agency GIZ in partnership with the Bangladeshi government. This initiative aims to provide financial protection for garment workers in case of workplace accidents. 

While this scheme represents progress, it is not yet ideal and could benefit from enhancements. To improve the system, tools like the modular openIMIS platform have been explored to streamline processes. OpenIMIS, an open-source insurance management platform, offers flexibility and customization that could enhance claims handling, expand coverage options, and improve transparency – addressing gaps in the current framework and providing stronger support for workers.

Conducting openIMIS workshops for the local teams

The plan for enhancing Bangladesh’s accident insurance scheme extends beyond implementing openIMIS; it also includes fostering local expertise in the platform. The initiative aims to equip Bangladeshi software companies with the knowledge and skills needed to develop within the openIMIS codebase, enabling them to contribute actively to this and future projects. To lead these efforts, SolDevelo, with its extensive experience in openIMIS development, was selected to conduct workshops on the system.

Offline training session

We began our engagement with a two-day offline training session that laid the groundwork for our collaboration. During this intensive workshop, we covered essential theoretical topics such as the possibilities offered by openIMIS, its tech stack, development methodologies, and best practices. 

To bridge the gap between theory and practice, we also included hands-on tasks focused on GraphQL, a technology that none of the participating developers had previously encountered. This practical component allowed them to gain valuable experience and confidence in working with openIMIS.

On-site workshops

Following this initial training, we conducted an on-site session that spanned five days, providing a comprehensive learning experience for the participants. It included:

• Providing an overview of payments and the formal sector, laying a foundation for understanding the financial aspects of the system. 
• Developing a new backend module. It allowed participants to dive into the practical application, and ensured they gained deeper insights and proficiency, with a focus on maintaining the modularity of the system. 
• Creating a corresponding frontend module, bridging the gap between backend functionalities and user interfaces. 
• Covering an overview of task management and calculation rules modules, which could be beneficial for the Bangladeshi implementation. 

Throughout the training, the group demonstrated a strong eagerness to learn, even generating ideas for their own modules, showcasing their enthusiasm and initiative in enhancing the openIMIS project. Based on the feedback we received from GIZ, attendees are fully satisfied with the training and its goal was achieved.

In addition to our training sessions, my colleagues from GIZ kindly invited me to their office to showcase their efforts in improving the accident insurance scheme and other projects in Bangladesh. It was insightful to see the breadth of their initiatives aimed at enhancing worker safety and rights. We also enjoyed lunch together, which added a nice social touch to our professional collaboration. 

Memories from Dhaka

On the last day, my GIZ colleagues took me on a tour around Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where they highlighted the city’s beauty and cultural richness. I had the opportunity to try some delicious local cuisine and even participated in an interview with the local media about my experience in Bangladesh. This journey not only deepened my understanding of the local context but also allowed me to appreciate the vibrant culture of Bangladesh.