Govt approves health safety guidelines for factories, establishments

The National Industrial Health and Safety Council under the Ministry of Labour and Employment has given its final approval to the health safety guidelines for the prevention of Covid-19 and health protection in industries and establishments.

The council approved the draft guideline at its 9th meeting held at the Secretariat on Tuesday. State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian chaired the meeting.

The state minister, in her address, said that it was important to run the factories to keep the country's economy operational. At the same time, it is also important to check the health issues of workers and employers, she added. 

Monnujan also instructed businessmen to run their factories after complying with the health safety guidelines. She also urged owners to be more humane to workers during this global epidemic.

Defeating Covid-19 would be easier by following the health guidelines in industries and establishments, she expressed her hope in the meeting.

The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments formulated the health protection guidelines in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

During the meeting, Inspector General of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments and member secretary of the committee Shib Nath Roy highlighted the importance of this health protection guideline.

Later, Deputy Inspector General (Health) Mohammad Matiur Rahman explained the details of the guidelines in the meeting.

It was said during the meeting that all the formal and informal sectors and even those factories which do not comply with the labour law will benefit from the guidelines.

Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment KM Abdus Salam, ILO Bangladesh Programme Coordinator Munira Sultana, distinguished labour leader Advocate Delwar Hossain Khan, among others, attended the meeting.