Extended discourse on the aftermath of COVID-19 is currently the highlight of research. As the world is driving towards recovery, the consequences of the pandemic need to be assessed to learn from the coping mechanisms endeavoured and to substantiate the policy actions towards a sustainable socioeconomic rebound. Amid a probable fourth industrial revolution, the pandemic is terrible news for the apparel industry and for Bangladesh, as the country is the second-largest exporter of readymade garments (RMG) in the world. In this context, the repercussion of COVID-19 is a pressing concern. Thereby, the adjustments and adaptation efforts of the country’s apparel workers are established in this paper through a household survey undertaken by the Centre of Policy Dialogue (CPD). The discussion capturing the first and second waves of the crisis continues on the effectiveness of public policies for the RMG workers before moving on to policy recommendations.
Authors: Debapriya Bhattacharya, Fahim Subhan Chowdhury, Towfiqul Islam Khan and Afra Tahsin Chowdhury
Publication Period: July 2022