Speakers at a seminar here on Monday underscored the need for finalising an action plan and strengthening the National Industries, Health and Safety Council to ensure workplace safety, security and rights of workers.
Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and Safety and Rights Society in association with Bangladesh Labour and Employment Ministry organised the seminar at the Jatiya Press Club.
Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar, inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments Syed Ahmed, Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) leader Shah Mohammad Abu Zafar and member of National Industries, Health and Safety Council Brig Gen (retd) Abu Nayeem Mohammad Shahidullah, among others, spoke at the programme with BILS chairman Habibur Rahman Siraj in the chair.
Shyed Sultan Ahmmed, Assistant Executive Director of BILS, presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
Mentioning that 603 workers died and 685 others got injured in workplace related accidents in 2014, Shyed Sultan Ahmmed stressed for implementing a work plan based on National Occupational Health and Safety Policy (NOHSP) and strengthening the council through regular monitoring.
Listing various steps taken by the present government, including amending the Bangladesh Labour Act 2013, finalising NOHSP and forming National Industries, Health and Safety Council, to ensure rights of workers, Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar said the mindsets of both the owners and workers have to be changed.
He also urged the owners to be keen about occupational diseases as well environmental ones through strengthening occupational and environmental safety and security for the workers.
Speakers also recommended introducing mobile court to inspect factories and industries at a regular basis and government’s legal assistance to dispose of cases pending with the labour court.
