Lockdown has been prevailing all over the country since 26 March 2020. The Offices and business institutions also remained close. As a result of this lockdown that has been going on for almost two months in one hand public life has come to a standstill and on the other hand, the economy has also been affected in various ways. Initially all the mills and factories in the formal and informal sectors of the country were closed but later some factories were started their production. The workers of these factories are at great risk.
The condition of the 85.1 percent of workers in the informal sector of the country are beyond description as a result of the lockdown. They don’t have any cash as they have no work right now. They are very helpless with extreme poverty and hunger.
The Government of Bangladesh has taken a number of initiatives to prevent coronavirus and its impact according to World Health Organization’s guidelines, but we are not yet reaping the desired benefits due to the slow pace of its implementation. The number of new identities and deaths is increasing day by day.
Apart from various government agencies, the country’s private sector agencies also carrying out various interventions to fight against corona and its impact. These include awareness raising program, distribution of PPE, provide cash and food support but there is a lack of coordination between the interventions of government and non-government organizations. The country’s non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have called on the government to address the impact of Covid-19 and engaged them in various activities but there has no initiatives taken yet.
Owners of the readymade garments sector are pushing the authorities to keep the factories open, citing the risk of losing the international market. On the other hand, workers are at risk of lay-offs and losing jobs. Thousands of workers have already lost their jobs illegally. The situation is almost the same in other industries including leather supply chain. No one cares about the occupational health and safety of these workers, who are the lifeblood of the country’s economy. Who will be liable if the number of victims increases exponentially due to the opening of the factories? The government should also keep a vigilance to save the workers from termination and sacks from jobs when the factories are closed. Their basic rights, occupational health and safety should also be ensured.
In many countries around the world, epidemics including covid-19, have been included in their laws and policies as occupational diseases, and in many countries it is under process. OSHE Foundation has already demanded to the government to declare Covid-19 as an occupational diseases. The government should immediately include other epidemics including COVID-19 as occupational diseases in the labor laws and rules through a special executive order. In addition, we are demanding to increase the allocation in the forthcoming national budget to ensure the social security of the workers to overcome the losses of Covid 19.
When the state will be able to bring everyone together, including private sector, NGOs, civil society organizations (CSOs), social organizations (CBOs) to coordinate all these, then it will be possible to deal with such a situation more successfully. Workers’ basic rights and occupational health-safety will be ensured. I wish good health and safety to all specially the working people of the country.
OSHE Stands with the Shipbreking Workers
Bangladesh Occupational health, Safety and Environment Foundation (OSHE) have been standing beside Workers of Shipbreaking sector. OSHE distributed emergency food and PPE among the shipbreaking workers at Sitakunda,Chittagong to alleviate the suffering caused by the COVID-19. The relief items were distributed among the families of 50 ship breaking workers at Bhatiari in Sitakunda this morning. Md. Nazim Uddin, Chairman of Bhatiary Union Parishad, Md. Alamgir Masum, Member of Bhatiary union Parishad and Sekander Hossain, Former president of Shitakunda press club were attended in this relief distribution programme. The workers were standing by maintaining social distance. The bags were later handed over to the workers in the presence of the guests.
The workers were very happy to receive this relief assistance. They highly praised the OSHE’s initiative. A worker named Quddus said that work has been stopped for many days. We are having a hard time with family. I can’t get any help from anywhere. Such support from the OSHE at this time has saved us. We will be able to spend the next 10 to 15 days in peace. He also added that the 50 families who have received this assistance today will be flooded with joy.
Another worker Shafi said that I was suffering from asbestos. I was the only earning members of my family. I can’t always work because of asbestosis. In the present situation I fell into a very helpless condition. This help from OSHE at such a time has saved me and my family. I wish OSHE’s continued success.
Covid-19: OSHE’s Response at Ground
As part of OSHE’s response to Covid-19 in Bangladesh, the working team under the leadership of Bro. Repon Chowdhury is now preparing to start an intensive emergency food and medical assistance delivery action under this pandemic period that will directly benefit 2,000 most vulnerable workers families (unionised and non unionised workers family) at the Readymade Garments, Leather, Ship Breaking, Construction, Home Based Work, Domestic Work, Street Vending, Waste Picking occupation and the Workplace Accident Victims for the next 3 months (May-July 2020).
OSHE Foundation takes the opportunity thanks to the Solider Suisse, Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress (BFTUC), Laudes Foundation, AMRC, NGO Platform for Ship Breaking and MJF staying with us in this crucial timeline On this pandemic time
Bangladesh Occupational Health ,Safety and Environment Foundation (OSHE) 