০৩:১৯ পূর্বাহ্ন, শুক্রবার, ২৯ মার্চ ২০২৪

Garment workers are coming under insurance

বিজনেস জার্নাল প্রতিবেদক:
  • আপডেট: ০৬:৩২:৫৭ অপরাহ্ন, শনিবার, ২৭ ফেব্রুয়ারী ২০২১
  • / ৪১৫২ বার দেখা হয়েছে

Bangladesh’s garment sector is at the top of foreign exchange earnings. This time the workers of that top sector are being brought under the insurance facility in phases. To this end, it is entering into an agreement with the government to provide insurance benefits to 1.5 lakh workers on a trial basis.

According to sources, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has held talks with the Bangladesh government to bring garment workers under insurance. The government has expressed a positive attitude in this regard. To this end, one lakh 50 thousand workers will be brought under the insurance facility on an experimental basis at the beginning. It will be launched in the garment sector in three to five years.

Officials from the ILO and the government’s labor ministry said an agreement was soon to be reached with the government to cover garment workers. The aim is to help them or their family members in case of death or injury in an accident through centrally fundraising and management.

According to sources, the initial insurance money launched under the Employment Injury Scheme (EII) will come from brands and buyers. The factory owners will have to take the responsibility after it is fully operational.

BGMEA President of the Garment Industry Owners Association. Rubana Haque told the media that workers’ insurance is a long-pending issue. We assume that the Government of Bangladesh is going to formally welcome the initiative to bring workers under insurance. We request brands and buyers to participate in this initiative of the insurance scheme. The same attitude of the workers’ representatives.

The issue of workers’ insurance came to the fore after accidents like Rana Plaza and Tazreen in Bangladesh. Because, at that time most of the workers were not covered by insurance.

Labor leader Rajekuzzaman Ratan told the media that the introduction of insurance for workers in Bangladesh has become important due to industrial accidents. In other countries, the cost is usually borne by the owner. But in our reality, factory owners as well as government and buyers should come forward.

According to sources in the Ministry of Labor, if the workers’ insurance system is implemented, the cost will be 0.019 percent of the export or about two paise per 100 rupees. At present, the country’s readymade garment exporters are contributing 0.03 per cent to the government’s central fund on the export price.

According to the country’s labor law, workers get compensation of Rs 200,000 if they are killed in the workplace and Rs 2.5 lakh if ​​they are injured while being unemployed. According to the current reality and ILO standards, this money is very insufficient.

Labor Ministry Secretary KM Abdus Salam said discussions were underway with the International Labor Organization on the issue of insurance for garment workers. Discussions are needed to determine who will play what role here. For this we have to discuss with the owners of the garment factories.

 

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English Version

Garment workers are coming under insurance

আপডেট: ০৬:৩২:৫৭ অপরাহ্ন, শনিবার, ২৭ ফেব্রুয়ারী ২০২১

Bangladesh’s garment sector is at the top of foreign exchange earnings. This time the workers of that top sector are being brought under the insurance facility in phases. To this end, it is entering into an agreement with the government to provide insurance benefits to 1.5 lakh workers on a trial basis.

According to sources, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has held talks with the Bangladesh government to bring garment workers under insurance. The government has expressed a positive attitude in this regard. To this end, one lakh 50 thousand workers will be brought under the insurance facility on an experimental basis at the beginning. It will be launched in the garment sector in three to five years.

Officials from the ILO and the government’s labor ministry said an agreement was soon to be reached with the government to cover garment workers. The aim is to help them or their family members in case of death or injury in an accident through centrally fundraising and management.

According to sources, the initial insurance money launched under the Employment Injury Scheme (EII) will come from brands and buyers. The factory owners will have to take the responsibility after it is fully operational.

BGMEA President of the Garment Industry Owners Association. Rubana Haque told the media that workers’ insurance is a long-pending issue. We assume that the Government of Bangladesh is going to formally welcome the initiative to bring workers under insurance. We request brands and buyers to participate in this initiative of the insurance scheme. The same attitude of the workers’ representatives.

The issue of workers’ insurance came to the fore after accidents like Rana Plaza and Tazreen in Bangladesh. Because, at that time most of the workers were not covered by insurance.

Labor leader Rajekuzzaman Ratan told the media that the introduction of insurance for workers in Bangladesh has become important due to industrial accidents. In other countries, the cost is usually borne by the owner. But in our reality, factory owners as well as government and buyers should come forward.

According to sources in the Ministry of Labor, if the workers’ insurance system is implemented, the cost will be 0.019 percent of the export or about two paise per 100 rupees. At present, the country’s readymade garment exporters are contributing 0.03 per cent to the government’s central fund on the export price.

According to the country’s labor law, workers get compensation of Rs 200,000 if they are killed in the workplace and Rs 2.5 lakh if ​​they are injured while being unemployed. According to the current reality and ILO standards, this money is very insufficient.

Labor Ministry Secretary KM Abdus Salam said discussions were underway with the International Labor Organization on the issue of insurance for garment workers. Discussions are needed to determine who will play what role here. For this we have to discuss with the owners of the garment factories.

 

Read more: