‘Return to Work’ strategy drafted

Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN) with the support of Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has completed the drafting of a "Return to Work and Rehabilitation Strategy" for people who suffered injuries or disability due to industrial accidents or occupational hazards, said a press release.

Following an initial consultation workshop in January 2020 and further inputs from stakeholders on an initial draft, a final validation workshop was conducted in January 2021 to generate further discussion on finalising the strategy and taking the implementation forward.

At this high-level strategic workshop, Abdus Salam, secretary, Ministry of Labor and Employment was present as the chief guest. He highlighted the uniqueness of the ministry as there is a tripartite consultative council with the representation of employers, workers and the government to consider and take forward relevant issues. He mentioned that the Labour Act 2006 has some provisions on disability related issues. However, there is a lack of an action plan to operationalise it, he added.

Murteza Rafi Khan, CEO of BBDN, contextualised the need for continued improvement of labor standards in alignment with the economic graduation of Bangladesh towards a middle-income country.

Shaquib Quoreshi, consultant at BBDN, delivered the keynote presentation on the return to work and rehabilitation strategy and emphasised the six thematic areas identified for strategic intervention in the document.

An open floor discussion followed the keynote.

Moazzem Hussain, senior technical adviser at GIZ; Rafiqul Islam, additional secretary of BGMEA; Wazedul Islam, general secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union Centre; Nazmul Ahsan Jewel, member secretary of National Coordination Committee for Workers' Education; Habibullah N Karim, vice president of BEF; Noushin Shah, national programme coordinator at ILO; Farid Ahmed, joint inspector general at Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment (DIFE); Abdul Latif Khan, additional director general, Department of Labour and Dr Silvia Popp, project manager of EIPS, GIZ also spoke at the event.