Occupational health, safety need to be ensured to boost exports: experts

A substantial number of workers are still at risk in terms of occupational safety and health in the country, despite notable progress achieved in these areas in workplaces since the Rana Plaza tragedy.

Speaking at a discussion on "Future Generation Summit on Occupational Safety and Health for All", Md Azharul Islam Khan, director general of the Department of Youth Development, said, "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."

"Youth now makes up the major share of the workforce. They could play a 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 at the discussion organised by the 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.

"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," the DG said.

Neeran Ramjuthan, program manager of the ILO Bangladesh, said 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 between 15-22, are most affected by accidents during their work," 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. 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 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.

Shahidullah Azim, BGMEA Vice President, said the change after the Rana Plaza tragedy was outstanding, which 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 expected all factories of Bangladesh to ensure the best safety and health facilities 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.