A digital mapping technology that tracks the development of readymade garments (RMG) factories in Bangladesh has found that a total of 143 RMG remained engaged in producing mask and personal protective equipments.

The Mapped in Bangladesh project, devised by the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Brac University, began tracing the impact of Covid-19 on factories across the country earlier this year with phase two reporting beginning on 20 July.

It found that several dozen factories have started exporting mask and PPE to international markets while many supplies to government and most factories sale mask to open market.

The digital mapping technology that tracks the development of readymade garments factories in Bangladesh has revealed 9 per cent of facilities surveyed have permanently closed following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The second phase of its ongoing “Rapid Survey” series involved data collection via phonecalls. A total of 2334 of 3342 factories in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chattogram participated in the survey.

Among the operational and temporarily closed factories (total 2136 factories are claimed to be hopeful to resumes their operation partially. And 30.6 per cent of factories were uncertain whether they would be able to resume their normal operation.

Factories that are currently remain operational have been using 92.1 per cent of their workforce during the pandemic as compared o normal times (before the pandemic).

The four year MIB project is being implemented to enable transparency in the RMG sector by developing a digital map of export oriented RMG factories collected through a countrywise census.