Occupational health, safety need to be ensured to boost exports

Staff Reporter :
A substantial number of workers are still at risk in the country, despite a notable progress could have been achieved in the workplaces since the Rana Plaza tragedy in terms of occupational safety and health.

“So, we have more work to be done to ensure occupational safety and health for all which is now key to boost production and exports,” said Md Azharul Islam Khan, Director General of the Department of Youth Development, while speaking at a discussion on “Future Generation Summit on Occupational Safety and Health for All.”
The discussion was organised by Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) Bangladesh in collaboration with Canada, the Kingdom of Netherlands and the International
Labour Organisation (ILO), held at the Krishibid Institution (KIB) Auditorium in the city on Saturday.

“Youth now makes up the major share of the workforce. They could play the key role to create a safe working environment in factories as well as in any organisation,” Azharul said.

“The government is also working hard on safety issues to ensure a sound environment as well as to assure good health as there is no alternative but to ensure a safe working environment if we want to achieve our development goals,” he said.

“We no longer want to learn from any accident further. We want to ensure a safe working environment through increasing awareness to bring accidents to zero level,” the DG said.

Neeran Ramjuthan, Program Manager of ILO Bangladesh, said that every day around 7,000 people die worldwide due to working in unsafe working conditions and the number of workers in developing countries like Bangladesh is significant.
“We see that young workers in Bangladesh, aged from 15 to 22, are most affected by accidents during their work,” he said.

“It is true that Bangladesh has made significant progress in preventing child labor. After the Rana Plaza tragedy, there has also been considerable development in overall safety. There is still a lot of work pending in many formal and informal sectors. The rights of each worker to return home safely are yet to be guaranteed,” he said.

Sheikh Marina Sultana, Chairperson of the Labor Court, said that the government is sincerely working to prevent accidents in the workplace.
There are many laws in the country for the workers and their improved working conditions and those have been ensured by law.
He said cent percent implementation has yet to be possible amid lack of awareness and consciousness of factory owners or operators.

BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim said that the change after the Rana PlazaTragedy is outstanding, which has been possible through the combined efforts of the government, the factory owners and workers and development partners.

He said it is a continuous process and expect all kinds of factories of Bangladesh will be able to ensure best safety and health facility for their workers as the issues are now very important.

VSO Bangladesh Country Director Khabirul Haque Kamal delivered the welcome address, Inspector General (IG) at the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) Md Nasir Uddin Ahme and Chief Editor of ‘Ajker Potrika’ Dr Gholam Rahman, while Project Manager of VSO Bangladesh Mohammad Safiqur Rahman shared the vote of thanks.