Dhaka, Dec 31 (V7N) – A total of 758 workers lost their lives in 639 workplace accidents across Bangladesh in 2024, according to a survey conducted by the Safety and Rights Society (SRS). The survey analyzed reports from 15 national and 11 local newspapers.

Executive Director of SRS, Sekender Ali Mina, presented the findings at a press briefing held in the SRS conference room at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

The report noted a slight decline in fatalities compared to the previous year when 875 workers were killed in 772 workplace incidents. The survey also accounted for workers who died in road accidents while commuting to their workplaces.

Sector-Wise Fatalities

The transport sector recorded the highest number of deaths, with 379 fatalities. Service-related establishments, including workshops and utility sectors, reported 129 deaths. The construction sector accounted for 92 fatalities, followed by 70 deaths in factories and productive establishments, and 86 in agriculture.

Causes of Workplace Deaths

  • Road Accidents: 464 fatalities
  • Electrocution: 81 fatalities
  • Fires and Explosions: 30 fatalities
  • Falls from Heights: 50 fatalities
  • Lightning Strikes: 69 fatalities
  • Crushing by Heavy Objects: 21 fatalities
  • Structural Collapses: 7 fatalities
  • Exposure to Chemicals or Toxic Gases: 11 fatalities
  • Drowning: 17 fatalities
  • Other Causes: 8 fatalities

Contributing Factors

The survey identified road infrastructure issues, unfit vehicles, reckless driving, incompetent drivers, and inadequate law enforcement as primary causes of accidents in the transport sector.

In the manufacturing and construction sectors, common factors included:

  • Operating factories without proper permissions
  • Lack of safety training for workers
  • Inefficient chemical handling
  • Unsafe electrical connections
  • Working on scaffolding without safety belts
  • Poor safety measures for septic and water tank maintenance

Gaps in Reporting and Recommendations

Executive Director Sekender Ali Mina emphasized that the actual number of workplace fatalities is likely higher, as many incidents go unreported in newspapers. He also noted that workers killed during the July-August uprising were excluded from this survey.

While the overall workplace death toll has decreased, fatalities due to road accidents and lightning strikes have risen compared to the previous year. Mina highlighted the urgent need for social security measures, particularly for agricultural laborers who often lack compensation for lightning-related deaths.

The survey found that most fatalities involved individuals aged between 1 and 40, a critical demographic for the nation’s workforce. The financial impact of these deaths remains uncalculated.

Mina called on the interim government to implement stronger workplace safety measures and provide adequate social security for workers to mitigate these tragic losses.

END/MSS/AJ/HoN