"7,784 garment workers lose jobs in five months amid weak global demand", 8 June 2026

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...

...workers were laid off across six industrial zones, except Dhaka metropolitan area...

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...

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...

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...