In Bangladesh about 11.7 thousand people suffer from fatal accidents every year and other 24.5 thousand workers die from the work-related diseases at the same timeframe. Many workers are engaged in the informal sector and are beyond the reach of regulatory authority and initial inspection of the working condition. Working condition in such industries has always been unsafe and unhealthy. Furthermore, the socioeconomic status has also made the workers more prone to ill health, as they work long hours in poor working condition and inadequate safety and health standards together with environmental hazards. At this moment, it is a challenge for the government and the monitoring authority to bring these large number of workers under proper scrutiny and social safety net. Occupational health and safety systems should be established in the formal sector as well.
In this wide variety of occupational sectors, the government is struggling to ensure proper working condition in all sectors. As the country’s economy is in the developing stage, it is admissible that the occupational health and safety framework is also in the developing stage.
There is a current need for more workers and to continue the economic growth, and industries must comply with the growing need of the workforce. The currently available regulations, infrastructure and monitoring, are failing to comply with the enormous growth in all sectors.
The institutional and governmental initiatives are more concentrated on the formal sector workers but also lacked systematic documentation and databases for the concerned and potential departments and institutions who are working for the OSH development of the country. The training, research, planning, implementation, management, inspection, rehabilitation, laboratory and medical services are scattered and provided by several governmental institutes and stakeholders who are acting individually. Although multiple numbers of agencies are working in the field, no such standards have been developed as a referral center for different standard and occupational permissible limits.
The existing laws are not specific, rather general to cover all occupational sectors in the country. Frequent incidents in Bangladesh have raised the concern over the weak labour laws, poor labour condition and inefficiency of monitoring authorities. Presently the authorities must rely on international organizations and research, data management and criticism before implementing any changes instead of generating their standard and infrastructure for reporting themselves. As suggested by ILO, the country has fallen short of several critical issues in the amendments of Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 adopted on 15 July 2013. However, it was among
the first steps of the Government of Bangladesh’s commitment to fulfilling the obligation for fundamental rights of freedom of association of the workers. (ILO 2019c) Several other necessary labour standards needed to be rectified by the government as addressed by the agency namely, Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No.
187) and Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155). The acts and provisions available currently are related to prevention of workplace hazards due to physical and chemical hazards, lacked the provision for biological and psychosocial hazards. Moreover, lack of provisions regarding harmful noise and vibration at the workplace in any national acts, rules and policies are also resulting from the absence of available standards.
Organizational improvement has been made for the DIFE,which is responsible for the factory inspection, welfare, safety and health of the workforce. DIFE is working in collaboration with other government, non-government and international agencies for planning and implementing any policy and measures. Furthermore, the Bangladesh government has taken steps to reinforce the Department of Inspection of Factories and establishments through the increasing budget, leadership management, policy changing, equipment and manpower allocation was done. The total number of inspectors have reached 392, among whom 199 were freshly recruited including 51 female inspectors. Development of information management system and inspection checklist and training programs are arranged as part of its ongoing development.
(ILO 2012)
Rana Plaza disaster has also raised the question on the existing compensation system and coverage and shouted for National injury protection and Rehabilitation Scheme. A proposed insurance scheme is in the pipeline to assure long-term payment coverage, compensation for loss of income, medical care for life long and rehabilitation process together with initial compensation. (ILO 2018) The government is yet to establish a social security system for the workers and employees through Decent Work Country programmes. But it seems beyond possible to establish such a scheme for a huge number of the informal sector and casual workers in the formal sector as they are in the vulnerable group. (ILO 2018) Workers wage was raised by 40-92% in 2013, although it is far behind the international standard.
Studies have revealed the lack of training on OSH for the inspectors and professions taught in OSH monitoring and evaluation. The country also lacked higher education institutions in occupational health and safety as there are a limited number of courses available in tertiary level institutions. (Akhter et al. 2019) The activities of trade unions to establish worker’s
rights is deemed one of the weakest parts of the labour rights in Bangladeshi perspective.
Political influence, unhealthy competition, inter & intra unions disputes, CBA elections, the influence of the employer and factory management has resulted in falling of unions to establish workers’ rights and sought for it. (Ahammad et al. 2017)
Strengths and weaknesses
Using secondary data was one of the weaknesses of the study. Although the Bangladesh government data is collected through its survey but due to lack of sources, it could not be compared. The chances of exaggeration of government data cannot be turned down in a developing country like Bangladesh. Although ILO reports and other research articles worked as good sources of information and comparison. Moreover, most of the available research are directed toward the ready-made garments sector, leaving other formal and informal sectors unattended.
On the other hand, using extensive data sources including Government, Non-Government, International organizations and research articles was the most substantial part of the report as it allowed to make an intense observation.