Editorial
Deaths of Bangladeshi workers
A concern that must be addressed urgently
BANGLADESHI workers abroad, at least in some countries, are in deep trouble -- a fact amply illustrated by the arrival of the dead bodies of 904 workers in the last five months. And a staggering 44 per cent of the fatalities has been attributed to cardiac arrest -- a not so common cause of death among people in the 25-40 age group. Equally worrying is the death from workplace accidents that accounts for more than 25 percent.
We are raising the issue in this column for the second time in a week because of the abnormally high number of deaths of Bangladeshi workers. When young men, who were in perfectly good health while going abroad, die in such numbers, questions are bound to arise regarding the living and working conditions in some of the host countries. Doctors have held tension, uncertainty, poor salary and non-fulfillment of contractual obligations by their employers as the factors leading to cardiac arrest. Many of the workers apparently failed to cope with the unusual pressure as they had paid a high price for getting a job abroad and didn't know how they would repay the loans they had contracted for the purpose. As for workplace accidents, it seems employers are oblivious of the workers' safety needs. Otherwise, how could 268 people die in five months? The whole story smacks of negligence and violation of human and labour rights.
The living and working conditions that push workers to death will have to come under some sort of scrutiny or monitoring by the governments of the host countries. Stories have occasionally appeared in the local media bringing to light the agonies of workers which need to be taken cognizance of. The issue cannot fail to draw the attention of labour and human rights activists groups.
Now, the government must take up the matter with the host governments, get to the bottom of it and let the public know about it. While it is the responsibility of the host countries to monitor the working conditions offered by employers in the interest of upholding their image, it devolves upon the sender countries to ascertain as to why so many of our workers are dying overseas and what must be done to stem the phenomenon. The question of paying adequate compensation is very pertinent and our government has to initiate a dialogue on the matter with the host countries.
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