Bangladesh has its first Occupational Safety and Health Profile in place

DHAKA (ILO News) – The National Industrial Health and Safety Council has approved the National Profile on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) for Bangladesh, which summarizes the existing policies, laws, institutions and situation on workplace safety and health in the country.

In its 10th meeting on 14 September 2021, the high-level council comprising of representatives from various Ministries as well as employers’ and workers’ organisations, academic and legal experts approved the OSH Profile for publication.

The OSH profile was drafted by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, social partners and other relevant stakeholders. It was vetted in a tripartite context by representatives from the government, employers’ and workers’ organizations. The ILO’s Improving Working Conditions in the Ready-made Garment programme funded by Canada, Netherlands and UK provided technical support in the development of this policy instrument.

The OSH Profile will help our authorities and other relevant bodies to mitigate the gaps in establishing a safe working environment in Bangladesh."

Begum Monnujan Sufian, State Minister of Labour and Employment

Honourable State Minister of Labour and Employment, Begum Monnujan Sufian, MP said, "The OSH Profile will help our authorities and other relevant bodies to mitigate the gaps in establishing a safe working environment in Bangladesh. We appreciate ILO’s sincere efforts in supporting the government to produce a comprehensive OSH Profile."

The Government of Bangladesh adopted the National OSH Policy in 2013 which recognized the necessity of an OSH Profile and its significance for systematically reviewing and evaluating the national situation on occupational accidents and diseases.

The profile is expected to act as a basis to analyse the current OSH situation in the country and evaluate the progress of this situation over time."

Md. Ehsan-E-Elahi, Labour and Employment Secretary

"The OSH Profile is a vital rudimentary step in the process of building an effective national OSH programme. The profile is expected to act as a basis to analyse the current OSH situation in the country and evaluate the progress of this situation over time," said Md. Ehsan-E-Elahi, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

A national OSH Profile is a diagnostic instrument which provides a baseline for further development of policy, planning and directions to establish a system and culture of workplace safety and health in a country."

Md. Nasir Uddin Ahmed, DIFE Inspector General

Inspector General of DIFE, Md. Nasir Uddin Ahmed said, "The OSH Profile presents detailed information on our country’s OSH-related laws and regulatory frameworks and relevant data on inspections, complaints, safety committees, occupational accidents and compensation for accidents. This document will help the Ministry of Labour and Employment as well as other policymakers, planners, executives of the government, national and international development partners to work for ensuring safe workplaces across Bangladesh. A national OSH Profile is a diagnostic instrument which provides a baseline for further development of policy, planning and directions to establish a system and culture of workplace safety and health in a country."

We hope this important document will inform the strategic and technical design of a National Plan of Action on OSH that will assist in setting national priorities and systems in the field of occupational safety and health to ensure decent work for all Bangladeshis."

Tuomo Poutiainen, ILO Bangladesh Country Director

Country Director of ILO Bangladesh, Tuomo Poutiainen said, "We congratulate the Ministry of Labour and Employment on putting in place the national OSH Profile. We hope this important document will inform the strategic and technical design of a National Plan of Action on OSH that will assist in setting national priorities and systems in the field of occupational safety and health to ensure decent work for all Bangladeshis."