85pc of workforce remains unrecognised in informal sector: Adviser Farida

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter on Tuesday said that nearly 85 percent of Bangladesh’s workforce is employed in the informal sector, yet most remain unrecognised and excluded from social protection.

Speaking at the Informal & Marginalised Formal Women Workers Convention 2025, organised by Oxfam in Bangladesh at a convention centre in Dhaka’s Tejgaon, she said the economy would not function without the contributions of tea workers, fishers, domestic workers and others in the informal segment.

She, however, noted that economists often focus solely on the formal sector, leaving the roles and contributions of informal workers largely overlooked, which in turn denies them proper recognition and rights.

Farida said women in informal and marginalised formal sectors have long faced social and economic exploitation, stressing that ensuring their rights is vital not only for their welfare but also for national development.

“When we talk about workers, the issue of deprivation comes to the forefront. In reality, they lack recognition and rights, and despite their hard work and the exploitation they endure, they do not receive what they rightfully deserve,” she added.

The convention brought together women workers from tea gardens, fisheries, domestic work and garment production sectors, who announced the formation of the ‘National Non-unionised Women Workers Forum’.