A human rights organization has expressed serious worries about labor rights violations in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment sector in the first half of 2026. The organization’s report highlighted issues such as delayed wages, mass layoffs, factory closures, suppression of labor protests, and unsafe working conditions. It documented instances of unpaid wages, layoffs, and inadequate labor protections affecting thousands of workers and their families.
The report revealed that over 20,000 workers lost their jobs in 80 garment factories from January to June 2026. Additionally, 457 garment and textile factories shut down between August 2024 and June 2026, leaving more than 240,000 workers unemployed. Reasons for closures included insufficient work orders, financial problems, labor unrest, and other issues like political instability and energy shortages.
The organization also noted widespread problems like delayed wage payments, unpaid overtime, dismissals, and worsening working conditions in the garment sector. It raised concerns about the treatment of workers during protests, citing instances of intimidation and excessive use of force by authorities. The report emphasized the need for improved labor rights protection and enforcement in Bangladesh.
Drawing attention to occupational health and safety failures, the report highlighted mass illnesses among garment workers and poor workplace conditions. It called for timely payment of wages, overtime compensation, festival bonuses, and other benefits for workers. The organization urged the government to safeguard workers’ rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and collective bargaining, while condemning the use of excessive force during labor protests.
