Covid-19 pandemic: Glass bangles industry plunges into serious crisis

Women in South Asia and especially in the subcontinent wear bangles with great enthusiasm in every religious and cultural festival. They decorate their hands with bangles according to their dress. This eagerness also provides employment to millions of people associated with the bangle industry.

But this year the sufferings of the workers of glass bangle industry have increased manifolds as festivities of Eid, which is used to be a big opportunity for glass bangle business, have faded away due to coronavirus pandemic.

Hyderabad is famous for its bangle industry which has the status of a domestic industry in which millions of men, women and children work for their livelihood. But the epidemic of coronavirus has increased the hardships of the workers in this industry, who are already deprived of their basic rights.

Glass bangles are popular all over Pakistan and abroad, but the lockdown situation has not only deprived the workers of their jobs but also affected the life of more than 0.4 million workers associated with this industry, especially the Home Base Workers.

Mehraj, 32-year-old worker, has been associated with the bangle industry for a long time, said that she spent the two months in great distress because her contractor did not come to take his prepared bangles and even did not pay her for work done. Her utility bill is more than Rs 6,000 which could not be paid due to financial constraint.

Another worker Shazia Shakeel said that no scheme has been announced by the government for us. She is living on the rations which she received from the HB Glass Bangle Workers Union. She added that there is no Eid for the poor, what she needs is work and food for living.

A large number of male and female workers have gone jobless and living from hand to mouth due to Covid-19 pandemic. A number of workers have joined other lines of work and feeding their children and themselves.

Unfortunately, to date, there is no data at the government level on the number of workers involved in this sector, which has added to their woes. They strongly appeal to the government to announce a relief package for them.