Nazma Akter is a globally recognized labor rights leader and social advocate with over 35 years of experience advancing workers’ rights, particularly for women in Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) sector. She currently serves as Chief Advisor of Naseef Apparels, where she provides strategic guidance on ethical manufacturing, labor compliance, industrial relations, gender-inclusive workplaces, and sustainable workforce development.
She is the Founder and Executive Director of Awaj Foundation, a leading workers’ rights organization, and the President of Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation (SGSF), one of the largest garment workers’ union federations in Bangladesh. Internationally, Nazma serves as Co-Chair of the Asia Pacific Women’s Committee of IndustriALL Global Union, contributing to regional and global labor policy discussions.
Nazma began her journey as a child garment worker at age 11, working alongside her mother. Rising from helper to machine operator, she experienced firsthand the unsafe conditions, low wages, and gender-based discrimination faced by workers—experiences that shaped her lifelong commitment to workplace safety, dignity, fair wages, and gender equality.
Since 2006, she has been a member of the Bangladesh Minimum Wage Board, playing a key role in national wage revisions in 2013 and 2018. She is an active voice in civil society, media, and international forums, including the OECD and the United Nations. Her leadership has been recognized through national and international awards, reflecting her lasting impact on ethical and sustainable development in the global apparel industry.
