7,784 garment workers lose jobs in five months amid weak global demand

Thousands, mostly garment workers, have lost their jobs amid a fall in production and work orders due to sluggish global demand and a loss of competitiveness.

A total of 79 factories terminated as many as 7,784 workers in the last five months until May 31, according to data prepared by law enforcement agencies.

According to data, workers were laid off across six industrial zones, except Dhaka metropolitan area, under the jurisdiction of the Industrial Police.

The highest number of job losses was recorded in Ashulia, where 35 factories dismissed around 5,000 workers between January and May this year, followed by Gazipur, where 33 factories fired 1,946 workers.

More than 500 workers were sacked in the Chattogram industrial zones by five units, while a Mymensingh factory removed 250 workers, according to official data.

On the other hand, three factories in Narayanganj and two in Khulna terminated about 100 workers during the period.

Major job losses were witnessed in March and May despite repeated calls from the government to avoid layoffs ahead of Eid, according to the data.

Labour leaders, however, alleged that the actual number of dismissed workers could be higher than the official figures.

Al-Muslim Group alone fired a total 1,868 workers from its seven garment factories in Savar citing a downturn in business that sparked protests by workers on Saturday, they said, alleging violations of labour laws.

Workers received termination messages from their factories on May 27 during the Eid vacation and found factory layoff notice on Saturday.

When asked, Additional Inspector General of Industrial Police Gazi Jasim said they are monitoring all the major industrial hubs so that there is no labour unrest over wage payments and dismissals.

"We also talk with both workers and factory management where necessary," he told the FE on Sunday.

Speaking to the FE, Khadiza Akhter, General Secretary of Sammilita Garment Sramik Federation, said some of the Al-Muslim workers are members of their union. She added that the factory authorities have committed to completing all payments, including service benefits of the terminated workers, by Tuesday.

She alleged that the number of terminated workers might be higher than the official data.

A significant number of factories terminated workers who had protested before the Eid, demanding timely monthly wages, Eid bonus and others, she alleged.

She further noted that some factories, facing insufficient work orders, are now resorting to cost-cutting measures by laying off workers.

When asked, Mohammad Hatem, President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), also blamed the situation on a shortage of work orders.

He added that some terminations may have also occurred because workers made unlawful demands and even assaulted mid-level factory management.

He said export earnings for the current fiscal year have been continuously declining since last August due to a fall in global demand.

Bangladesh fetched US$35.31 billion during the July-May period of fiscal year of 2025-26, marking a 3.41 per cent negative growth compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Munni_fe@yahoo.com