A recent study predicts that 60% of workers in Bangladesh’s textile and readymade garment sector could lose their jobs by 2041 due to automation. This includes up to 500,000 operator-level jobs, such as sewing machine operators and mechanics, as well as roles in quality control, production planning, and fashion design. Women and low-wage workers with less education are expected to be most affected.
While significant job losses are anticipated, new opportunities in emerging technologies and hybrid processes are expected. These include roles in computer-aided process planning, automated inspection, and production optimization. By 2035, the machine-to-human work ratio is projected to shift from 44:66 in 2022 to 57:43.
Other sectors are also vulnerable, with projected job losses of 60% in furniture, 40% in agro-food processing, 35% in leather, and 20% in tourism. Key emerging professions include AI specialists, robotics engineers, data analysts, and digital transformation experts, while declining roles include cashiers, data entry clerks, and bank tellers.
Experts stress the need for government-led initiatives to upskill and reemploy affected workers, focusing on inclusive policies to address the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Strategic planning and ethical AI use were also emphasized to navigate these transitions effectively.
Photo Courtesy by : The Daily Star
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