Equality of Treatment (Accident Compensation) Convention, 1925 (No. 19) - Bangladesh (Ratification: 1972)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

The Committee notes the observations of the Trade Union Committee of International Labour Standards (TU-ILS), received on 1 September 2025.

Article 1(1) of Convention No. 19 and Article 3(1) of Convention No. 118. Equality of treatment. The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report related to the launch of a pilot Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) in 2022 in collaboration with the ILO. The Committee takes note that the EIS pilot, applied in the export-oriented ready-made garment sector, compensates workers for the loss of earnings as a result of permanent disability and provides compensation to their dependants in case of death. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the implementation of the pilot Employment Injury Scheme, including its extension to other sectors and how the principle of equality of treatment between nationals and non-nationals workers is ensured in case of employment injuries.

Article 10 of Convention No. 118. Application in practice. Refugees and stateless persons. The Committee notes the observations submitted by the TU-ILS regarding the status of refugees and stateless persons, who are not officially permitted to work in Bangladesh. The Committee recalls that the provisions of the Convention apply to refugees and stateless persons without any condition of reciprocity. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure, in law and in practice, that the provisions of Convention No. 118 are applied to refugees and stateless persons without any condition of reciprocity.

Replies received to the issues raised in a direct request which do not give rise to further comments (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, which answers the points raised in its previous direct request and has no further matters to raise in this regard.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

The Committee notes that, according to the Government’s report, the question of the compensation of employment accidents is now governed by the Labour Act adopted in 2006. In substance, this text reproduces the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923, as amended, and guarantees equality of treatment in respect of employment accidents between foreign nationals and nationals of Bangladesh. The Committee further observes the Government’s indication that the payment of compensation for employment accidents to foreign workers is sometimes made through special arrangements concluded between the local employer and the agent of the foreign workers, in accordance with the principles set out by the Convention. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide fuller information in its next report on the special arrangements to which it refers with an indication of the manner in which the latter ensure to the nationals of States parties to this Convention the same treatment as nationals of Bangladesh in respect of compensation for employment accidents, in accordance with Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the issue of the export of employment injury compensation is regulated both with regard to nationals of Bangladesh and foreign nationals and their dependants. Finally, it invites the Government to provide statistical data on the number of foreign workers employed in the country, their nationality and any injuries that they suffer during the period covered by the next report.