Covid-19, job cuts and misery for Bangladesh's garment workers

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Twelve years back, Maloti Mondol left her village in Chuknagar in Bangladesh's Jessore district with her husband and three children to escape poverty.

The family settled in Savar, an professional suburb about 25 kilometers north of capital Dhaka, and found jobs in another of the many garment factories as sewing operators.

The employment enabled them to overcome poverty, keep up with the family well and send their children to school.

“In the past years, we changed jobs at least five times for various reasons. We have never been jobless. For the very first time in April this season, we have been terminated because of a drop in factory production and business over the coronavirus,” Maloti, 35, a Catholic, told UCA News.

Altogether, the couple will make about 25,000 taka (US$295) per month in Savar. The increased loss of jobs meant these were no longer in a position to pay the rent and cover daily expenses.

Within per month, they returned with their village home where Maloti’s husband started pulling a rickshaw-van that can fetch about 300 taka each day.

“We had an excellent income and better life in Savar. Now we face difficulties owning a family with poor income from just one single. Schools and colleges are closed as a result of coronavirus, and we don’t really know what will happen when those reopen. If we remain jobless, we won’t be able to support the education of our kids,” Maloti lamented.

During this crisis, the family received 5,000 taka from the federal government aid package for the indegent. They also have received some food aid and 1,600 taka from Catholic charity Caritas.

“We've nothing left at hand now. We've been desperately contacting people to find jobs again,” she added.

Quality controller turns day laborer

Sabuj Biswas, 29, can be an ethnic Paharia Catholic from Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Ghoraghat in Dinajpur district. Until April, he previously been employed as a quality controller at a garment factory in Gazipur district, another professional hub near Dhaka.

Including regular pay and overtime, Sabuj could earn about 20,000 taka monthly. After keeping some for himself, he used to send money to his family back.

The eldest son and only breadwinner of a family group of six, Sabuj in addition has returned home after losing his job. He and his 16-year-old brother have grown to be daily-wagers to aid the family.

“Day labor is also scarce in the region. If I will get work, I can earn about 350 taka each day. Personally i think sad that my young brother in addition has been forced to work,” Sabuj told UCA News.

Sabuj’s family received 1,600 taka for Covid-19 support from the Church, while an NGO offered food aid including rice, lentils, wheat, oil and sugar.

He's upset that garment factories summarily dismissed many personnel like him in the lack of a permanent contract.

“Factories operate on our labor, but we have been left out through the crisis with no compensation. All workers need to have permanent contracts so that we can claim compensation for job cuts,” he said.

Like Maloti and Sabuj, thousands of employees have lost jobs in Bangladesh’s $30 billion export-oriented garment industry since Covid-19 hit the neighborhood and global economies. The employees are facing crisis and still desperate for work.

Vital industry reels from Covid-19

About 70,000 staff have already been terminated from garment factories since April as the industry lost over $3.5 billion in orders, in line with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the key trade body.

Bangladesh’s garment industry may be the second most significant after China’s and its largest professional employer with about 4 million workers, the majority of them poor rural women. The industry is a lifeline because of this South Asian nation since it accounts for about 80 percent of annual foreign exchange.

Job cuts have started hitting workers since March after the government announced a nationwide shutdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak. After remaining shut for practically two months, hundreds of factories in commercial zones started reopening from April 26.

Towards the end of March, the government announced a special stimulus package of 50 billion taka for export-oriented industries like the garment sector, noting that the total amount will be paid to workers because of their salaries up to three months. The amount should be returned with only 2 percent interest after two years, and also a six-month grace period for inability to pay.

Trade unionists say the real scenario regarding lay-offs and job cuts through the pandemic is far worse than reported.

“In our estimate about 150,000 employees have lost jobs already and termination continues each day. Moreover, senior staff who toiled in the industry for many years have seen their salaries cut significantly,” Babul Akhter, president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, told UCA News.

He regretted that personnel have already been dismissed without compensation despite owners having a stimulus package. He says it has thrown them into destitution and they have not been rehired despite the fact that the industry has bounced back.

“Without job security, staff suffer and over time it won’t do worthwhile for the industry,” he added.

BGMEA leaders say job cuts had be completed in special circumstances for the survival of the industry.

“It is true factories have terminated personnel because of loss of production and business. Many factories remain counting losses, so that it is impossible to allow them to keep a normal workforce. Once the factories get regular orders and have good business, employees will be rehired and former employees are certain to get preference,” Mohiuddin Rubel, a director of BGMEA, told UCA News.

Besides government aid packages, various NGOs and charities have been supporting jobless workers.

James Gomes, director (programs) at Caritas Bangladesh, said there is no specific project for jobless persons but they are contained in ongoing Covid-19 aid schemes.

“In 10 urban areas, we are providing support to 22,000 needy and poor families plus they include garment staff who lost jobs through the outbreak. It really is true jobless workers are facing miserable lives and garment factory owners need to focus on their plight,” Gomes told UCA News. 
Source: https://www.ucanews.com

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