Legal support to be provided on workers' compensation
Friday, 1 August 2008
Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE) and Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Trust (BLAST) will provide all-out legal support to injured workers and dependent families of those killed in workplace accidents for obtaining compensation.
The two specialised NGOs announced their decision at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity Thursday, reports UNB.
The OSHE unveiled a leaflet and a booklet for creating awareness toward obtaining workers' compensation in the conference.
Speakers at the conference said hundreds of workers are killed and injured in accidents at work in the country every year, but, in most of the cases, the owner sides do not want to provide them compensation, which is a major obligation as per Bangladesh Labour Act 2006.
Quoting an OSHE survey, they said a total of 1,768 workers were killed and 1,782 injured in different workplace accidents across the country last year.
Quoting the labour act, the NGO-duo said, "If any worker suffers an injury, resulting in at least four days' totally or partially off-work, the employers must pay compensation for any injury.
"Where the injury results in permanent disability, the employers must pay Tk 125,000. If the worker dies in workplace accident, the employer must pay his or her dependant families Tk 100,000 through the labour court."
Labour leaders were also present at the conference.
The two specialised NGOs announced their decision at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity Thursday, reports UNB.
The OSHE unveiled a leaflet and a booklet for creating awareness toward obtaining workers' compensation in the conference.
Speakers at the conference said hundreds of workers are killed and injured in accidents at work in the country every year, but, in most of the cases, the owner sides do not want to provide them compensation, which is a major obligation as per Bangladesh Labour Act 2006.
Quoting an OSHE survey, they said a total of 1,768 workers were killed and 1,782 injured in different workplace accidents across the country last year.
Quoting the labour act, the NGO-duo said, "If any worker suffers an injury, resulting in at least four days' totally or partially off-work, the employers must pay compensation for any injury.
"Where the injury results in permanent disability, the employers must pay Tk 125,000. If the worker dies in workplace accident, the employer must pay his or her dependant families Tk 100,000 through the labour court."
Labour leaders were also present at the conference.