Abstract
Scholarly literature on COVID 19 focus on the internet academic world and the studies on Bangladesh are concerned with politics, society and economy (especially manufacturing industry). Under such circumstances, I explore how as a result of the pandemic the lives of Bangladeshi industrial workers in the apparel and jute industries have become very volatile, and how they are positioning themselves against such precariousness. During the era of uncertainties and precarity, hunger took precedence over health concerns for these workers and for the industry-owners, profit making remains the main objective while state agencies serve the purpose of the profiteering industrialists. I explore the vulnerabilities, resistance, and survival mechanisms of these workers in the face of lay-off, lack of payment of salary and/or overtime and closing down of the industry all together. The research is qualitative based on archival materials and key informant interviews. The results show how blatantly the owners can get away with anything – they are not held accountable even when they do not pay their workers. This is majorly a fault of the government institutions that are responsible for managing and monitoring such processes. The only ray of hope lies in the fact that workers are fighting for their rights. When these workers are safe, only then can the factories and the sectors be safe and profitable.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Labour Rights, Protests, Negotiation, Pandemic, Bangladesh, Global Economy, Pandemic
