Workplace accidents kill 1,050 workers in 2021: Survey

At least 1,053 workers died and 594 got injured in workplace accidents last year, reveals a survey recently carried out by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies. In comparison, 729 workers died in their workplaces and 433 got injured in 2020.

Publishing the study – conducted based on media reports – on Sunday, BILS pointed out that 147 workers suffered torture at their workplace during this period, and 125 among them got injured because of this reason.

Besides, 300 workers suffered torture outside their workplaces last year. Among them, 191 died, 70 got injured, 26 committed suicide, and 3 went missing, says the BILS study quoting media reports.

The survey’s findings identified road accidents, electrocutions, thunderstorms, fires, and falls from height some of the major reasons for workplace deaths in Bangladesh.

At least 513 workers died in transport sector, which is the highest, followed by the construction sector with 154 deaths, and agriculture sector with 87 deaths.

The fisheries sector recorded the highest number of injured workers at 176, followed by the transportation sector with 80 and construction sector with 45. The survey said 91 workers died and 114 got injured while commuting for office during this period.

Bangladesh also faced 431 incidents of labor unrest in 2021, and 172 of those occurred in the readymade garment sector, 50 in the transportation sector, 36 in the jute sector, and 23 in the media sector.

During this period, seven workers, including a woman, died while engaging in workers’ unrest and 163 got injured. Of the total number of unrests last year, 126 incidents occurred due to unpaid wages, the survey said.