Over 1000 EPZ workers retrenched in 60 days
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Jasim Uddin Haroon
More than 1,000 factory workers, on an average, lost their jobs in the country's export processing zones during the first two months of the fiscal mainly due to the global recession, officials said.
According to official statistics the number of workers in the country's eight export processing zones stood at 233,668 at the end of August this year against 234,693 at the end of June 2009.
A large number of workers were axed at the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) during the period.
Some 2,000 workers lost their jobs during the first two months of the fiscal mainly due to the shutting down of many factories as global recession started to bite the export earning units in the DEPZ.
"Many factories, especially the RMG units, were shut down recently and some factories reduced the volume of workers following poor export orders," said a senior official at the DEPZ.
He also said: "This is the biggest job cut in our EPZ since its inception."
The country's EPZs have attracted the biggest investment in apparel sector, which is the largest export earning sector of Bangladesh.
According to Export Promotion Bureau data, knit and woven sectors faced nearly 10 per cent negative growth during July-September this year against the same period of 2008-09.
More than 1,000 factory workers, on an average, lost their jobs in the country's export processing zones during the first two months of the fiscal mainly due to the global recession, officials said.
According to official statistics the number of workers in the country's eight export processing zones stood at 233,668 at the end of August this year against 234,693 at the end of June 2009.
A large number of workers were axed at the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) during the period.
Some 2,000 workers lost their jobs during the first two months of the fiscal mainly due to the shutting down of many factories as global recession started to bite the export earning units in the DEPZ.
"Many factories, especially the RMG units, were shut down recently and some factories reduced the volume of workers following poor export orders," said a senior official at the DEPZ.
He also said: "This is the biggest job cut in our EPZ since its inception."
The country's EPZs have attracted the biggest investment in apparel sector, which is the largest export earning sector of Bangladesh.
According to Export Promotion Bureau data, knit and woven sectors faced nearly 10 per cent negative growth during July-September this year against the same period of 2008-09.