A total of 574 garment workers and their family members in Bangladesh have received financial support through a pilot Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) designed to provide long-term income protection for workers who suffer permanent disabilities and for dependants of those killed in workplace accidents. Since its launch in June 2022, the scheme has recorded 248 cases, including 161 dependants of deceased workers and 87 workers with permanent disabilities.

According to a joint study by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), beneficiaries have been awarded a total of Tk 42,831,572 in compensation. The findings were shared during a media orientation program held in Dhaka.

The pilot project, implemented in the ready-made garment sector, has been developed to address workplace risks, reduce income loss, enhance social protection, improve relations between workers and employers, and support compliance with international labor standards and legal obligations. BILS Executive Director Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed emphasized the importance of the scheme in preventing financial vulnerability among families when an income earner is incapacitated or killed.

Under the EIS, beneficiaries receive financial assistance amounting to 50 percent of their wages. The scheme provides support not only for workplace accidents but also covers permanent disabilities arising from road accidents. The project is managed by ILO Bangladesh and the German development agency GIZ, with funding from Switzerland, Canada, and the European Union.

The scheme’s design aligns with the requirements of the ILO Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964 (No. 121), ensuring that benefits meet internationally recognized standards. The initiative was established in response to tragic industrial disasters such as the Rana Plaza collapse and Tazreen Fashion factory fire, which highlighted the urgent need for effective social protection in the garment sector.

BILS and the ILO recommended making the program universal by enacting appropriate laws and regulations once the pilot concludes in 2027. They also called for enhanced measures to improve workplace safety, ensure dignified employment, and secure fair livelihoods for workers and their families. The project’s proponents argue that institutionalizing the EIS would contribute significantly to poverty reduction and social security in Bangladesh’s vital ready-made garment industry.