ILO Country Director’s message for OSH Day 2023

Occupational accidents and diseases have devastating impacts on workers and industries. Despite many improvements, the prevention of accidents and work-related diseases continues to have considerable importance in Bangladesh.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is a right of every worker. The International Labour Organization (ILO) recognizes OSH as a fundamental human right and has included the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, No. 155 and the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, No. 187 as fundamental conventions.

This decision reaffirms the constitutional obligation of ILO Members to promote, respect and realize the principles contained in these two Conventions, which require Members to progressively set up national OSH policies, programmes, and systems and to build in every country a national preventative safety and health culture. It emphasizes the importance of prevention, risk assessment, and worker participation in ensuring safe and healthy working conditions.

Bangladesh has already developed OSH Policy (2013) which is currently being reviewed and updated. The national OSH Profile (2019) has also been adopted. Together the policy, profile and plan of action on OSH are good foundations toward Bangladesh to ratifying conventions 155 and C187. This ratification process requires support of government, employers and workers organizations. I firmly believe that the government of Bangladesh will take necessary steps toward to ratification.

This year, the world day for Safety and Health at work focuses on a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work.

The ILO’s ‘Improving Working Conditions in the Ready-made Garment Industry’ programme, funded by the Netherlands and Canada, collaborated with the government, employers, workers organizations and other stakeholder to provide technical support for the development OSH legislative framework for Bangladesh.

As we move forward, it is more important to continue for prioritizing OSH for workers. This translates to the prioritization and execution of the National Plan of Action to build a safety culture in the country.

On this day, let us reaffirm our commitment to creating safe and healthy working environments for all as a fundamental principle and right at work.

Tuomo Poutiainen
Director
ILO Country office for Bangladesh