A groundbreaking step in reproductive healthcare for hundreds of thousands of women in Bangladesh’s garment sector, the Digital Monitoring Tool (DMT) has officially been launched. The pilot phase of the new initiative began on Tuesday with the launch of the tool at a garment factory in Savar, Dhaka. The aim is to make healthcare services smarter, scalable, and more accountable.
An inaugural event was held in the morning at PAKIZA Knit Composite in the Genda area of the upazila.
Developed jointly by the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP), UNFPA, and private sector partners, the tool is set to benefit over 22,000 women in six factories in its initial phase. The rollout began with family planning services for 7,600 women.
The DMT is a dual-platform system that enables real-time data collection, tracking of contraceptive supply and distribution, and performance review across factory health centres.
In one symbolic moment during the launch, a female worker was handed a packet of contraceptives, and the distribution was updated in real-time using the tool—showcasing the technology in action.
Officials said that once a worker is registered using her ID number, the tool will notify her when her current contraceptives run out and remind her of the next collection date.
Speaking at the launch, Catherine Breen Kamkong, UNFPA representative in Bangladesh, emphasized the urgency of reaching women with efficient reproductive health solutions which address their rights and needs to access quality and affordable services.
“This tool brings services closer to the women who power Bangladesh’s economy. This innovation is about more than technology. It is about ensuring workers’ rights to SRH are fulfilled and that they are supported with enabling conditions in the workplace. It ensures workers are supported not just as patients, but as professionals contributing to Bangladesh’s growth,” she said.
Bangladesh’s garment industry employs nearly 4 million workers, over 60% of whom are women. However, access to sexual and reproductive health services remains limited for many.
A recent UNFPA study found that investments in family planning can boost productivity by up to 20% and reduce worker absenteeism by 26%. It estimated that each factory could save up to $160,000 annually through such interventions.
In the past nine years, only 804,000 female workers have received contraceptives—just a fraction of the total workforce. The DMT aims to significantly close that gap, stakeholders said.
Rakibul Islam Khan, managing director of PAKIZA Knit Composite Ltd, said: “We have always prioritized worker welfare. Healthy workers mean stronger productivity, which is why we’ve joined this initiative.”
The initiative is part of a broader health strategy led by DGFP and UNFPA that also includes cervical cancer screening and immediate support for gender-based violence survivors.
“This technology proves that the government is committed to leveraging innovation for public welfare,” said DGFP Director General Dr Ashrafi Ahmed.
Tech firms Togumogu Private Ltd and Jhpiego supported the development of the DMT, which is expected to replace paper-based systems to reduce supply chain disruptions and help workers access services according to their needs.
The six-month pilot phase will focus on six factories. Based on user feedback, the tool will be refined regularly, with plans for data integration, performance reporting, and national-scale expansion to follow.
Stakeholders hope that the successful implementation of this technology will open a new horizon for healthcare in Bangladesh’s garment sector.
