Garment factory closures cast dark shadow over Bangladesh economy

Lower GDP growth, plummeting demand and growing unemployment wreak havoc

20250114 Bangladesh main

Ready-made garment workers toil in a factory in Dhaka in June 2024. Bangladesh is "heading towards a socially alarming situation," one researcher said. © AP

SYFUL ISLAM, Contributing writer

DHAKA -- On the morning of Jan. 2, workers at four Keya Group apparel factories in Gazipur, Dhaka's garment district, received notice they would lose their jobs on May 1, International Workers' Day. The conglomerate, they were told, had decided to permanently close the plants.

Thus, the futures of several thousand workers fell into even greater uncertainty. The laborers had been abstaining from work since Dec. 29 while protesting for November paychecks they are still yet to receive.

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