Nat’l employment injury insurance to be established

Germany, Bangladesh and International Labor Organization (ILO) have signed a tripartite deal to support the establishment of a National Employment Injury Insurance System in Bangladesh.

Visiting German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Dr Gerd Müller, Secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Employment Mikail Shipper and Country Director of the ILO Srinivas B Reddy signed the Letter of Intent (LoI) at a ceremony at the Westin Hotel in Dhaka yesterday (Tuesday).

The LoI outlines the intention of the sides to develop and institutionalise a national Employment Injury Insurance system in Bangladesh, according to a press release of German embassy.

This initiative is designed after the Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964 ILO (No. 121) and shall integrate prevention, compliance and rehabilitation services.

Under the LoI, parties will engage in dialogue and design a suitable national Employment Injury Insurance system for Bangladesh, draft and establish a legal framework of this by 2016, as well as ensure the capacity development and implementation of the said system in this country.

With this ambitious new initiative Germany, Bangladesh and the ILO can further strengthen the garment sector in this country and contribute to an improvement of the safety conditions in the industry.

Germany has extensive experience with Employment Injury Insurances and the establishment of such insurance does not only lead to safer working conditions but also guarantees the livelihood of individual workers and their family after tragic industrial accidents.

It therefore benefits all sides: The workers, the companies and the government.

This ambitious initiative to adopt the system for the RMG sector in Bangladesh will have a lasting positive impact on the garments industry.

Earlier, the German Minister Muller arrived in Dhaka yesterday for two-day visit to Bangladesh.

He is accompanied by a 10-member delegation, including Parliamentary State Secretary for Economic Cooperation and Development Hans-Joachim Fuchtel.

The German minister along with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed will inaugurate a mini Fire Services in DBL Millat Factory in Kashimpur, Gazipur today.