In the dense, restless heart of Dhaka, millions like Sabiha Khatun begin each morning knowing that survival depends entirely on the day’s earnings. Beneath flyovers, beside bus stops, and on crowded pavements, these workers form the invisible foundation of Bangladesh’s economy — yet remain among its most vulnerable.
Sabiha, 32, runs a small roadside stall selling puffed rice and fried snacks to office-goers, day-laborers, and rickshaw-pullers. On a good day, she earns Tk 600. When it rains or the authorities clear the footpaths, her income halves. “Oil, rice, and vegetables cost double now, but I earn the same,” she says. “Some nights I skip dinner so that my children can eat.”
6 Crore Workers, No Security
Sabiha is one among more than 6 crore informal workers, representing nearly 85 per cent of Bangladesh’s workforce, according to the latest Labour Force Survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). These include domestic helpers, construction labourers, street vendors, rickshaw-pullers, transport operators, and small-scale traders — people without contracts, protection, or benefits, who nonetheless keep the economy running.
A joint study by Karmojibi Nari and FES Bangladesh found that most informal workers are concentrated in retail and sales, food and beverage services, agriculture, livestock, and transport. Around 69 per cent of them are between 25 and 44 years old, contributing an estimated 40 to 43 per cent of the national GDP.
Economists describe this sector as the “unseen engine” of Bangladesh’s growth, yet one that is systematically excluded from the country’s legal and economic frameworks.
Inflation’s Ruthless Grip
The steep rise in food prices has hit informal workers hardest. Average monthly incomes in this sector range between Tk 10,000 and Tk 30,000, but these earnings have failed to keep pace with inflation, which soared to 10.03 per cent in the 2024–25 fiscal year — the highest in 14 years.
Food inflation alone reached 10.70 per cent, while non-food inflation stood at 9.47 per cent. The Planning Commission’s latest economic update noted that the price of rice alone contributed over 50 per cent of total food inflation in July, illustrating how deeply basic staples shape economic pressure.
Professor M. Shariful Haque, Chairman of Economics and Banking at the International Islamic University Chittagong, explained: “Informal workers have no cushion. Their wages aren’t indexed to inflation, so when food prices rise, they eat less, borrow more, or pull their children out of school.”
He warned that prolonged inflation could erode social stability, as millions live only a few days’ income away from hunger.
Stories from the Streets
Across Dhaka, Mahbub Hossain, a 32-year-old motorbike rider, starts each day with a quiet prayer. He earns around Tk 700 to Tk 800 daily — but after paying for fuel, data, and commissions, takes home barely Tk 400. “Some days I ride for twelve hours. The back pain never goes away,” he says. “But if I stop, there’s no food at home.”
In Kamrangirchar, rickshaw-puller Subodh Roy, 45, pedals home after earning Tk 700. After rent and food, nothing remains. “If my wheel breaks or I fall sick, my children go hungry,” he says. “We have no safety net.”
Their stories mirror a national reality — work without protection, income without stability.
Calls for Reform
Experts and labour rights groups have repeatedly urged the government to recognise and protect informal workers. Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and Chairman of the Labour Reform Commission, emphasized that legal recognition is crucial. “Without legal protection, their rights cannot be ensured. They remain invisible in policy and law,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Labour Reform Commission proposed significant reforms: a national minimum wage, maternity benefits for informal women workers, and wage reviews every three years instead of five. It also suggested a contributory social insurance scheme, emergency funds for crises, and mandatory appointment letters — even for informal jobs — within fifteen days of hiring.
Additionally, the commission proposed creating a digital labour registration system, aimed at giving informal workers official recognition for the first time.
A Regional Picture
Across South Asia, the struggle of informal workers is strikingly similar. In Bangladesh, 85 per cent of workers are informal, compared to 80–82 per cent in India and over 90 per cent in Nepal. The lack of contracts, irregular pay, and zero health coverage leave these workers perpetually on the edge of destitution.
Bangladesh does have social protection schemes — old-age allowances, stipends, and food support — but coverage remains extremely limited. Only a fraction of the informal workforce is registered, and enforcement of labour rights remains weak.
The Unseen Backbone
Economists often describe the informal sector as “the backbone without bones.” It supports national growth but is constantly at risk of collapse. As inflation eats into already thin margins, the survival of millions like Sabiha, Mahbub, and Subodh becomes increasingly precarious.
Sabiha summed up her struggle with quiet resignation: “I don’t want luxury. I just want enough to feed my children every day without fear.”
For Bangladesh, her words echo a growing truth — that the country’s economic miracle will remain incomplete until its invisible workforce is finally seen, valued, and protected.
