Workers income shrank by 81pc amid lockdown in 2021

Income of Transport, shops and hotel-restaurant workers fell by 81 per cent last year during the government-announced lockdown to prevent spread of coronary infections. At that time, 87 per cent workers lost their jobs and 48 per cent received food and financial assistance from their workplace.
Twelve per cent of these workers received various assistances from the government. The Coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on employment, income and social security of private sector transport, hotel-restaurant and shop workers.
The Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies (BILS) revealed these findings in a research report on Thursday (January 13th) at a seminar in the city.
BILS Deputy Director (Research) Md. Monirul Islam presented the research report. BILS conducted the study on 400 workers in six areas of Dhaka from August to December last year.
According to BILS' study, 96 per cent of male workers work in three sectors such as transportation, hotels, restaurants and shops. Most female workers worked in shops. Seventy per cent workers are married while child labor stood at five per cent.
According to the study, 99.5 per cent of workers have been affected due to lockdown.  Employment opportunities of 87 per cent decreased. Working days decreased by 84.6 percent. Working hours have been reduced for 92 percent. Besides, 3,486 workers got their jobs back in the post-lockdown period. However, more than 7 percent have not found work yet, the report said.
Monirul Islam, said 83 per cent of service providers and businesses were affected due to covid-19. During this time they either shut down their services or businesses or reduced the scope of their business.
About 95 percent of buses and Laguna and 80 percent of shops were closed at that time. 51.5 percent of these three types of workers were panicked by thinking of losing their jobs.
The study found that 36 per cent of these workers had received the corona vaccine for job security.  Moreover during post-lockdown period, the use of masks among such workers has decreased by 64.3 percent.