About 1,915 ready-made garment (RMG) factories were shut or laid off since the coronavirus pandemic outbreak in the country, resulting in job loss of about 0.324 million garment workers.
Besides, 87 garment factories terminated a total of 26,000 workers, while a good number of them did not receive their lawful benefits.
On the other hand, 27 per cent of the workers reduced their food demand, following irregular payment of monthly wages during the pandemic.
Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) disclosed these statistics in a press conference, held at the National Press Club in the city on Thursday.
The conference was organised to disseminate information, highlighting the work situation in the country's RMG industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.
BILS vice president Anwar Hossain presided over the conference, while its advisory committee member Naymul Ahsan Jewel read out the written paper.
BILS vice chairman Amirul Haque Amin and IndustriAll Bangladesh Council secretary general China Rahman, among others, spoke at the event.
Mr Hossain said the country's RMG workers have been struggling for their survival due to frequent retrenchment and factory lay-off amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In many cases the workers' retrenchment took place without following labour laws and rules, he alleged.
Citing a previous study conducted in 2019, BILS said 56 per cent of the RMG workers procured their essential commodities in credit, and 72 per cent had no ability to get proper treatment due to low wages, while the pandemic has multiplied their crisis now.
Demanding government assistance for the workers, he said although the RMG sector got Tk 50 billion as stimulus to offset the Covid-19 impact, the workers were not benefitted from the package.
The factory owners, with the support of the government, were exercising unilateral power for retrenchment of workers and factory layoff without following any law, Mr Amin alleged.
"But workers have no rights to be united to demand their lawful benefits," he added.
The workers are facing three types of risks during the pandemic -risk of life, risk of termination, and risk of not getting wages in time, he noted.
He also alleged that many factories are running their production without complying with the Covid-19 health guidelines.
Female garment workers, especially the pregnant ones, are facing a number of problems, said China Rahman.
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