The ban on public transport is forcing may garment workers in Bangladesh to either walk long distances or pay many times the normal fare to travel to work. As per Thomson Reuters reports, Bangladeshi authorities have failed to provide transport facilities to garment workers. Workers are also being forced to work in unhygienic factory conditions, allege Kalpona Akter, Founder, Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity union.

However, most workers were pleased with their factories being exempted from the curbs after their earnings were hit by closures during Bangladesh’s previous lockdown. The garment sector was hit hard last year as clothing brands shut shops due to the pandemic and cancelled orders worth millions of dollars.

Although the industry has seen a recovery, the future is uncertain as European countries impose fresh curbs.