Editor's Pick

How old Bengali advertisements sold the dream of fair skin

4 July 2026, 00:00 AM In Focus

Why Bangladesh can’t ignore Myanmar’s diplomatic comeback

5 July 2026, 00:00 AM Geopolitical Insights

America at 250 and Bangladesh’s strategic moment

5 July 2026, 00:00 AM Geopolitical Insights

Is Bangladesh ready for the future of work?

4 July 2026, 00:00 AM Big Picture

The forgotten history of football in Bangladesh

3 July 2026, 00:15 AM In Focus

Form commission to ensure proper compensation

Urge labour leaders

28 April 2010, 18:00 PM

METROPOLITAN

Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh National Council of Textile Garment and Leather Workers, a platform of 13 trade unions, demanded formation of workers compensation commission to ensure proper compensation for injured and dead workers in workplace-related accidents and rehabilitation of their families. The leaders of the platform placed the demand at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity on the occasion of International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers and World Day for Safety and Health at Work yesterday. ZM Qamrul Anam, chairman of the platform, said workers in Bangladesh often cannot negotiate their rights with owners for absence of trade unions in many sectors. A national-level commission would give them access to the higher authorities to meet their demands, he added. The main purpose of the commission would be to lay down rules of compensation in different sectors, fixing suitable amounts, monitoring delivery process, ensure safety at workplace, proper implementation of labour law and training on safety. Anam said the commission might be consisted of tripartite bodies, including government officials, with special participation by legal experts working on labour issues. The labour leaders informed that during the last 10 years about 3,000 workers died in different workplace-related accidents. According to the existing law, the family of a dead worker receives a compensation of Tk 1 lakh while injured workers get Tk 1.25 lakh. The amount is meagre compared to the sufferings of a family, which losts their breadwinner, they added. Anam pointed out that the compensation law -- Workmen's Compensation Act 1923, which was amended in 1987, -- is not up to date to deal with the current issues. The labour leaders, however, suggested that a compensation fund should be created for workers through insurance, imposing mandatory amount on owners, imposing taxes on products, by slashing an amount from the monthly salaries of workers. The government should also give its contributions to the fund, they added. Members of the platform Badruddoza Nizam, Hedayetul Islam, Kutubuddin Ahmed, Asma, Safia Parvin and Nurul Islam were present, among others.