The planning workshop on OSH (Occupational Safety and Health Awareness) was held with representatives of employers and workers organizations and other stakeholders from the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector aimed at in-depth analysis of intervention plan and understanding of the ground realities at factory level.
“Building OSH awareness and strengthening of the OSH Committees at the factory level are very important to secure workers safety. This is a Pro-Active step by the Government of Bangladesh to spread awareness and vigilance at the factory level to ensure safety and reduce risk of fatal and costly accidents,” said Mr. Md. Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Honourable State Minister, Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Over 60 participants form the Government, Trade Unions, Garments Manufacturers and buyers attended the planning session on OSH intervention. The workshop on “Managing OSH at Workplace in the RMG Industries” was jointly organized by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the International Labour Organization (ILO) under the ‘Improving Working Conditions in the Ready-Made Garment Sector’ (RMG) programme.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Honourable Minister, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ms. Lilianne Ploumen, said, “I applaud the GoB’s adoption of a National Occupational Safety and Health Policy in November 2013 as part of its response to the commitments made in the National Action Plan on Fire and Building Safety in July 2013.
"Well-functioning Occupational Safety and Health committees in factories are essential for the safety and health of workers and for this, I hope that these new committees are established in a fair and transparent manner with the appropriate representation of workers, including women. The Netherlands, Canada and the United Kingdom are committed to the establishment and capacity building of the Occupational Safety and Health Committees in the garment industry through our joint support of the ILO RMG Program”
Currently the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and the ILO is implementing a three-and-a-half year long initiative aimed at improving working conditions in the ready-made garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh. The USD $24.21 million programme “Improving Working Conditions in the Ready-Made Garment Sector” (RMGP) is funded by Canada, Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
“This participatory planning workshop is an important initiative towards ensuring safe work places and preventing accidents in garment industry in fulfilment of the commitments agreed by the government, employers and workers in the National Tripartite Action Plan for building and fire safety in garment industries and toprevent accidents at work places” said Mr. Srinivas B Reddy, ILO Country Director for Bangladesh.
“Enhanced awareness among the representatives of employers and workers would directly contribute to safe work places. Active functioning of the mandatory occupational safety and health committees and the trade unions wherever exist should contribute to greater participation of workers representatives in work place safety measures,” he added.
Mr. Gerben Sjoerd de Jong, Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh; Mr. Mikail Shipar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment and representatives from Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF); Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA); Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA); National Coordination Committee for Workers’ Education ( NCCWE) and IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) attended the workshop.
