It is cause for alarm that, over the span of two days, we have seen accidents that have resulted in deaths and injuries to workers.
First, a fire broke out at a factory at Shikarpur in Sadar upazila of Bogra early on Saturday morning, burning a worker alive, and then on Sunday, four workers were injured after a girder of the under-construction Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project on the capital's Airport Road collapsed.
What is frustrating is that, in both cases, the death and injuries were entirely preventable; according to the fire service and police, the factory in Bogra lacked the necessary permissions to operate, while the collapse of the girder was ultimately down to carelessness and a failure to remain diligent during operations.
Both these incidents beg the question: Are we doing enough to protect our workers?
There is no denying the perilous conditions our workers -- be they working in construction, brick kilns, or merely installing an air conditioner in a high-rise apartment -- experience as they set out to earn a living. Too often, there are no labour laws protecting them, and often, serious injury or death is just brushed aside, never talked about as other workers replace those who have been lost.
Such an approach to human life and safety cannot be the norm for any nation, let alone one looking to be taken seriously as an emerging economy. Thus, it is about time that we collectively take a long, hard look at the conditions our workers are subjected to as they toil away, so that we may bring changes to ensure their future safety and well-being.
