Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Bangladesh (Ratification: 1972)

Articles 2, 3(1)(a) and (b), 5(a) and (b), 13, 17 and 18 of the Convention. Inspection activities to improve occupational safety and health (OSH) standards in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector. Cooperation and collaboration of the labour inspectorate and other public or private institutions engaged in similar activities and the social partners. In its previous comment, the Committee noted that, as of September 2015, a total number of 3,407 RMG factories had been subject to fire, electrical and structural inspections by the groups of retailers and apparel brands ACCORD and ALLIANCE and by national initiative. It also noted the decisions of the review panel at the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) established to follow up on the recommendations made in consequence of these initiatives. The Committee further noted from the direct contacts mission report that doubts existed as to whether the public authorities responsible for fire, electrical and structural safety had the human resources and capacities required to take over from the private initiatives – ACCORD and ALLIANCE – on the expiry of their mandate in 2018. In this regard, the Committee noted that initiatives were under way to increase the number of inspectors within the capital development authorities (RAJUK) which are responsible for building safety and within the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence (DFSCD) which is responsible for fire safety. The Committee also noted the efforts being made to coordinate the activities of the public authorities responsible for fire, electrical and structural safety.

The Committee notes that the Government refers, in reply to the Committee’s previous request to continue to provide information on the measures taken to promote cooperation and coordination between the labour inspection service and initiatives engaged in similar activities to the Remediation Coordination Cell (RCC). The Government states that the RCC was established with ILO support to involve interested entities, particularly the DIFE, DFSCD, RAJUK and the Chittagong Development Authority, in the acceleration of remediating non conformity with health and safety standards process. In this regard, the Committee also notes the information provided by the Government concerning the collaboration with the social partners, including in the context of tripartite forums such as the National Industry, Health and Occupational Safety Council. The Committee notes however from the information on the composition of the Inter-Agency Tripartite Committee that while the Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF), the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) are represented on this Committee, no trade union is represented. The Committee further notes the Government’s reference to regular contact between the DIFE and the BEF, the BGMEA and the BKMEA, and the invitation by the DIFE to the National Coordination Committee for Workers’ Education (NCCWE) and other trade union organizations to join tripartite forums. The Committee requests that the Government provide information on the increase in the number of inspectors within the public bodies responsible for building safety (RAJUK) and fire safety (DFSCD). Noting that the Inter-Agency Tripartite Committee does not include any workers’ representatives, the Committee requests that the Government ensure that the DIFE promotes collaboration with workers’ organizations or representatives in the same way as with employers’ organizations or representatives. It also requests that the Government report on the measures taken to enhance further collaboration with workers’ organizations or their representatives.

Articles 9 and 14. Notification of industrial accidents and cases of occupational diseases. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress (BFTUC)’s reference to the under-reporting of industrial accidents and the Government’s indication that no cases of occupational disease had yet been recorded due to a lack of staff and the absence of recording mechanisms for this purpose. Subsequently, the Committee noted the steps referred to by the Government to improve the system for notifying industrial accidents and occupational diseases, including: the recruitment of additional labour inspectors specializing in OSH; regular awareness-raising activities on employers’ legal obligations in relation to industrial accidents and cases of occupational diseases; and the initiation of work to digitalize the records of industrial accidents.

The Committee notes that, in reply to the Committee’s previous request to continue to provide information on the steps taken to improve the system for notifying industrial accidents and cases of occupational diseases, the Government refers to awareness-raising activities for employers and workers including training sessions and the distribution of posters, leaflets, and booklets and the display of digital banners. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that the technical assistance provided by the ILO might be helpful for further awareness-raising activities, the development of a database on statistics of industrial accidents and cases of occupational diseases, and the purchasing of recording devices for the collating of statistics on industrial accidents and cases of occupational diseases. The Committee notes from the statistics provided by the Government that the number of recorded industrial accidents decreased by more than half from 1,230 in 2014 to 496 in 2015 (including 208 fatal accidents, 102 serious accidents and 186 other accidents), and that once again no statistics on recorded cases of occupational disease were provided. The Committee requests that the Government provide an explanation for the significant decrease in the number of industrial accidents recorded, and for the absence of any recorded cases of occupational disease. The Committee requests that the Government continue to take steps to improve the system for notifying the labour inspection services of industrial accidents and cases of occupational diseases, including with ILO technical assistance. Noting the information on the awareness-raising activities undertaken, the Committee requests that the Government provide information on other steps being taken, such as: the enforcement of sufficiently dissuasive penalties for non-compliance with reporting obligations (not only in relation to industrial accidents, but also in relation to cases of occupational disease); the recruitment of medical doctors to identify cases of occupational disease; and the purchase of recording devices, etc.

[The Government is asked to reply in full to the present comments in 2017.]