Health, workplace safety will boost exports

Notable progress could have been achieved in the workplace since the Rana Plaza tragedy in terms of occupational safety. But a substantial number of workers are still at risk in many informal sectors of the country, experts and stakeholders have said.

“So we have more work to be done to ensure occupational safety and health for all, which is now key to boost exports,” they said on Saturday.

Their observation came at the “Future Generation Summit on Occupational Safety and Health for All,” organised by Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) Bangladesh in collaboration with Canada, the Netherlands and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) at the Krishibid Institution in Dhaka.

Department of Youth Development Director General Md Azharul Islam Khan was present as the chief guest. VSO Bangladesh Country Director Khabirul Haque Kamal delivered the welcome address and Project Manager Mohammad Safiqur Rahman shared the vote of thanks.

Labor Court Chairperson Sheikh Marina Sultana, Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) Inspector General Md Nasir Uddin Ahmed, ILO Bangladesh Programme Manager Niran Ramjuthan, Ajker Potrika Chief Editor Gholam Rahman, and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Vice-President Shahidullah Azim, among others, also spoke at the event.

Azharul said that 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.”

The government is working hard on safety issues to ensure a sound environment as well as to assure good health, he said. “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. We want to ensure a safe working environment through increasing awareness to bring accidents to zero level.”

Niran Ramjuthan said that every day around 7,000 people die worldwide due to working in unsafe working conditions. This 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.

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

Shahidullah said that Bangladesh has now the highest number — 196 — of green factories. The change after the Rana Plaza tragedy has been outstanding and it was possible through the combined efforts of the government, the factory owners and workers and development partners.

He said it is a continuous process and they expect that all factories will be able to ensure the best safety and health facility for their workers.

He said safety and health issues are now very important as buyers need products from the country which ensure maximum safety in the working places as well as give a handsome salary and assurance for a good health facility.