Alternative Employment for Low Income People in Bangladesh in

COVID-19

More than seven months have passed since the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a
pandemic. Hundreds of millions of people have lived through lockdowns. Many have made the abrupt
shift to working from home; millions have lost jobs. The future looks uncertain. We don't know when, or
if, our societies might return to normal – or what kind of scars the pandemic will leave.

The Covid-19 pandemic, followed by the economic ramification, has affected people from all walks of
life and many have been compelled to choose lower-grade jobs to survive. Neaj Ahmed, for instance,
completed his graduation in Food Engineering from Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology
University. With his academic knowledge, he and his friend Rubiyat Meer Shahid, a Dhaka University
graduate, started a restaurant named D6 Diner in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area. As the pandemic hit, they
had to stop doing business following the lockdown. However, they needed to run the business for the
earlier investments. They called up their employees to join work, but no one responded. At this point,
Neaj decided that he will cook by himself and deliver the food from door to door – transferring himself
to a chef and delivery man from a food engineer. Neaj said: “I am a food engineer and I know that if I
cook and deliver the food by myself to our regular customers, they will believe that it is hygienic." It is
challenging, as no one trusted food from outside due to safety issues. They took that challenge and the
pandemic situation must have taught them many things.

Bangladesh – the world's second-largest clothing manufacturer, after China — has been fired or
furloughed a large number of workers. Employers are unemployed for a long time and trying to make
ends meet every day. Many of them abandon the Dhaka city because of the living cost and returned to
their hometown. With the work experience of garment, they are now doing farming. Also they are
pulling rickshaw. Women are going for house cleaning service in exchange of wages. Others, who have
no way of minimum income, are asking for odd jobs, government’s help, society and community’s help.