Dhaka, Bangladesh (CU)_ The International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) inked an agreement to improve workplace safety and healthcare facilities in ten major economic sectors in Bangladesh. According to the media statement from the FBCCI, they will carry out a range of capacity-building and promotional initiatives at both the institutional and company levels. It was said that these initiatives will be supported by the ILO’s RMG program, which is sponsored by Canada and the Netherlands.
According to the agreement, 15 safety units will be established in the electronic and electrical, chemical, plastic, light engineering, leather, food processing, furniture, printing and packaging, domestic RMG, and steel re-rolling industries. In the meantime, 2,400 safety representatives will be deployed and 100 safety committees will be formed to create awareness among employers and employees about workplace safety and health.
The agreement was signed in the FBCCI auditorium in Dhaka, in the presence of ILO Bangladesh Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen and FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin. While addressing the event, Poutiainen stated that the ILO is glad to collaborate with FBCCI to develop a safety culture and practices in key industries. He said, “We hope that our collective efforts will help prevent many occupational accidents, injuries and diseases and save countless lives.”
According to Jashim Uddin, “Ensuring the safety of workers is our utmost priority. We have teamed up with the ILO to invest in strong and functional safety units, safety committees, and safety representatives.” He added, “Strengthening workplace safety and health at institutional and enterprise levels will make our factories safer and more productive which will benefit the national economy”.
