Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Bangladesh (Ratification: 1972)

The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Articles 10, 11 and 16 of the Convention. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes with interest the indication in the Government's most recent report that due to the increase in the workload of the labour inspectorate, a proposal to expand the inspection services is under active consideration by a committee set up by the Government. The Committee hopes these developments will result in permitting the Government to take the necessary measures to expand the staff of the inspectorate and thus increase the number and frequency of inspections. Please provide full particulars with the next report.

Article 13. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in reply to its previous comments. It would like to refer to the general nature of the powers given to inspectors under section 26 of the Shops and Establishment Act, 1965, and further notes that any expanded powers they may have under section 14(3) of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, are limited to questions of wages. The Committee hopes that the Government will consider taking measures to provide inspectors with all necessary powers to make or to have made orders including for measures with immediate executory force regarding matters other than wages. Please provide full particulars in this respect in the next report.

Article 14. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in reply to its previous comments, and in particular the fact that while industrial accidents are reported, reports on occupational diseases are seldom available, possibly due to inadequate diagnosis and the general attitude of not reporting such cases. The Committee notes with interest the information that the Government expects the situation to improve considerably with the implementation of its small-scale project on occupational health analysis and accident prevention training. Please supply information on any progress made in this regard.