In response to a question put forth by ruling Awami League MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury, State Minister for Labour and Employment Nazrul Islam Chowdhury informed Parliament that there are over 50.17 lakh workers in the nation’s garment factories, with 55.57 per cent of those workers being women.
The State Minister stated that 33,17,397 people are employed in Bangladeshi garment industries, based on data from the BGMEA. 52.28 per cent of them are employed women. Consequently, 17.34 lakh women are employed.
According to BKMEA data, there are 17 lakh workers in the knit sector. Of which 62 per cent–10,54,157 are women workers.
In total, there are 50 lakh 17 thousand 652 workers in the garment industry in the country. Of which 55.57 per cent–27 lakh 88 thousand 616 are women workers, the State Minister said.
The State Minister stated, using data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), that the 2022 labour force survey indicates that there are 43,16 000 workers in the garment industry overall. Of which 16 lakh 19 thousand, or 37.51 per cent, are employed by women.
In response to another query, State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu stated that the slow rate of export earnings is being noticed because of the negative effects of Covid-19, the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war, the global economic recession, and price inflation in America and Europe, Bangladesh’s primary export markets.
Bangladesh’s main export product, manufactured garments, has decreased in demand in the world market, resulting in a decline in export growth. However, in countries such as the UK, France, Spain, Canada and Japan, the trend of export earnings from this sector continues to grow.
