Bangladesh weighs ILO safety conventions amid fire incidents

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has said that Bangladesh is considering ratifying the ILO conventions related to occupational health and safety as the issue remains high on the agenda in the aftermath of a series of tragic fire incidents, including one that took place in February.

“In Bangladesh, we do have a robust legal, policy and institutional mechanism for promoting occupational safety and health. We have made significant strides in ensuring building and fire safety in the ready-made garments sector that now needs to be replicated in other industrial sectors as well,” he said.

The foreign secretary was speaking at a national dialogue focusing on the labour sector organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the support of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the ILO Country Office on Sunday.

He said the discussions of the dialogue would be helpful for Bangladesh to consider ratifying the ILO Conventions 155 and 187 that have recently been included among those featuring the fundamental principles and rights at work.

Those conventions are related to occupational safety and health and the working environment.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also made a pronouncement last year about giving due consideration to ratifying these two instruments in order to make Bangladesh a party to all ten of ILO’s Fundamental Conventions.

“It is our collective responsibility as government and social partners to promote a sound occupational safety and health culture across the board and make fire and construction-related accidents in the workplace a matter of the past,” the foreign secretary said.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised the dialogue to connect some relevant and emerging international issues with the national policy and decision-making processes.