55% of over 50 lakh workers in the apparel sector are women

There are around 50.17 lakh workers in the country’s garment factories and 55.57% of the workers are women, State Minister for Labour and Employment, Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, informed the parliament on Sunday.

He said this while responding to a tabled question of ruling Awami League MP elected from Bhola-3 Nurunnabi Chowdhury.

The state minister said that according to the information of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), there are 33,17,397 workers in the garment factories in Bangladesh. Among them 52.28% or 17.34 lakh are women.

According to Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) data, there are 17 lakh workers in the knit sector. Of which 62% or 10,54,157 are women. In total, there are 50 lakh 17 thousand 652 workers in the garment industry in the country. Of which 55.57% or 27 lakh 88 thousand 616 are women, the state minister said.

Citing data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the state minister said that according to the 2022 labor force survey, the total workforce in the garment sector is 43,16,000. Of which 37.51% meaning 16 lakh 19 thousand are women.

In reply to another query, State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu said due to the adverse impact of Covid-19, the effect of the Russia-Ukraine war, global economic recession and price inflation in America and Europe, the main export markets of Bangladesh, export earnings faced a slowdown.  The demand for Bangladesh’s main export product, manufactured garments, has decreased 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.