Editorial
Workplace safety
Amend the labour law properly
GIVEN that a working person spends one third of his or her life in the work place on the average, the implications of a safe workplace are very clear, more so in the context of Bangladesh. The figure of 1629 killed and 3900 injured in workplace related accidents between January and June 2013 as per the half-yearly report of The Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) puts the enormity of the problem in perspective.
In this regard the focus inevitably is on the RMG sector, which continues to bear 80 percent of the casualties sustained in workplace; and all this primarily because of lax implementation of the existing laws, rules and codes relating to building construction. This came out very clearly at a roundtable on "Safe Workplace: Recent Experience and Way Forward" organised jointly by BILS and The Daily Star on Saturday.
The major impediment in ensuring the overall inertest of the workers including workplace safety is the labour law that is pending amendment and government approval. There is, however, a misgiving in the minds of the labour leaders and those working for labour rights that some of the contemplated amendments may not be favourable to labour interest.
Another reason why the workplace continues to be generally unsafe is those responsible for the accidents have avoided punitive measures. The fact that there have been 56 RMG factory accidents since 1990 and none of the guilty has faced punishment speaks for itself.
The recommendations of the RT are noteworthy which we entreat the government to heed.
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