Occupational safety and health
Bangladesh has its first Occupational Safety and Health Profile in place
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
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
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
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