Why women in Bangladesh are leaving the workforce

For years, Bangladesh's economic narrative has been one of remarkable ascent, a story punctuated by the steady hum of sewing machines and the quiet revolution of women entering the workforce in unprecedented numbers.

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The nation's climb up the economic ladder was, in many ways, built on the shoulders of its women, particularly in the garment industry that became the engine of its growth. Which is why the latest figures from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) feel so disquieting, like a sudden, unexpected silence in a once-booming factory. In just one year, the country's labour force shrank by 17 lakh people, and the overwhelming majority of those who left were women. This isn't just a statistical blip; it's the first contraction since 2010, and it signals a potential unravelling of hard-won social and economic gains. To understand what's happening,