At least 475 workers died in 420 accidents at various workplaces across the country in the first six months of 2024.

Safety and Rights Society released the data yesterday after conducting a survey based on news published in 15 national and 11 local newspapers.

In the same period in 2023, around 389 workers died in 287 accidents.

SRS has found that the highest number of workers were killed in the transport sector.

Of the total number, 250 transport workers died in this period, 74 died in service establishments (such as workshops, gas, electricity supply establishments), 66 in agricultural sector, 52 in construction, and 33 died in factories and other manufacturing institutes.

SRS Executive Director Sekender Ali Mina said Bangladesh's production and employment depend on the informal sector, where labour laws are largely unenforced, making it challenging to control workplace accidents.

Supervision by relevant authorities must be increased to control workplace accidents, he added.