25pc factories cut jobs despite enjoying stimulus, CPD study

Some 25 per cent of the garment factories went for job cuts despite receiving soft loans from the government-sponsored stimulus package, according to a new study of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

It indicates that the stimulus package could not guarantee the protection of jobs of the workers as many of the factory owners terminated workers despite enjoying the stimulus fund, the think-tank said.

The CPD shared the findings of the study at a webinar on the "Corporate Accountability of the RMG sector in view of Covid Pandemic: Challenges in Ensuring Workers' Well-being". 

The government has so far allocated Tk 10,500 crore to the garment factory owners as stimulus package to help them pay the workers' wages and allowances.

The garment factory owners have again sought stimulus package for paying salaries and allowances to workers for April, May and June.