ABSTRACT
A shock of such severity and magnitude as COVID-19 tends to leave many a footprint in its devastating trails. How households and individuals are coping with the emergent situation, what adjustment mechanisms they are pursuing, and how effective the public policies are in supporting the marginalized groups remain critical points of interest in the Bangladesh context, both from coping and recovery perspectives. Based on a face-to-face national household survey, the present study spotlights the adjustment processes through the specific lens of employment. The study examines the supply side of the labor market, i.e., the behaviors and practices at individual and household levels. It was found that there has been a significant deterioration in average monthly income and loss of working hours despite an overall increase in employment. A rise in distress-employment is also manifested in the increasing share of self-employed, contributing family workers, day laborers, and reverse migration to the agriculture sector. The study findings inform realities on the ground, including job losses, employment recovery, and job changes, trends in income and savings, and other developments in the backdrop of the pandemic.
