"Garment Workers Struggling" Against Corona Virus And Lockdown In Bangladesh

This article focuses on the struggle of Garment Workers against Corona Virus and lockdown in Bangladesh. Actually the voice of many working class people all over the country does not hear to the authorized society. There is no one to hear the plea and to wipe out the tears of many people. The Corona pandemic everywhere throughout the world has numerous impacts over the way of life, convention and everyday existence of numerous residents. It likewise influences the laborers and workers who moved away from their local spot to different urban communities of the nation looking for their work and job. The lockdown to control the spread of crown infection has begun in Bangladesh during March 26. Till now it has crosses six phases:

• The main phase of lockdown begins from March 26 and finished in April 4.
• The second phase of lockdown begins from April 5 and finished in April 13.
• The third phase of lockdown begins from April 14 and finished in April 25.
• The fourth phase of lockdown begins from April 26 and finished in May 5.
• The fifth phase of lockdown begins from May 6 and finished in May 16.
• The 6th phase of lockdown is in process from May 17.

As soon as the government implements the first stage of lockdown, it stops all the transport services and banned all the transportation of the common man to avoid the spreading of Corona Virus specially in the area of Narayanganj City and Dhaka City. It may seem like a good strategy by the government. But behind this idea, there is a huge society of daily workers who started to suffer from many things.

They move from their local places just to earn a little amount of money to fulfill their daily needs. Most of the workers are monthly or daily wages. They try to move back to their native places during this lockdown for some reasons. The Garment workers along with other workers/day labourers are not from well settled families.

As already discussed, most of the workers are monthly & daily wages like garment workers, rickshaw puller and slum dwellers. So they need to go the job daily in order to run their daily life. This lockdown closes all the small scale industries and firms which they are working. So they tend to lose their daily jobs. As a result they are left alone with no income to run their life.

The workers has left with only one option. The lockdown all over the country shuts down all the public transportation facilities. So they tried to move back just by walking with hungry stomachs and teared eyes. They faced a lot of difficulties while travelling. They were wandering around the streets in search of food and water while coming back from their natives. Now the garment factories are open to adjust with the economy of the country but the tension raises because of spreading Coronavirus in their work place also. Many workers while working, feeling scared of being infacted, they also got tired while travelling back to their home as a result of not finding proper transport in the Bus stops, Railway stations. This tragedy shakes all over country and its Government. This is how all the workers are facing challenges in order to reach their daily needs.

During this lockdown, the price of needy groceries rise to a maximum extent. Without proper income they are not able to buy their needs. The companies or industries recruiting them for the job has a partnership. The partners of these companies or industries gathers the workers of poor family background from all over the places. All the household rents and other expenses regarding the job must be taken care by these owners. As the lockdown extends for further more days, these owners are not able to take care of their workers not even to pay bonus for the upcoming Eid on 25th May 2020 because of shortage of income.

This COVID - 19 affects the people economically and mentally. Now the question comes: What is the appropriate solution for this?