Seen Comprehension - 27 Alim

Rights of the wage-earner

1.   Newspapers in Bangladesh have constantly drawn our attention to the insufficient safety       measures provided by most garments factories. They lack adequate space, wide staircases and emergency exits. In addition most of the garments workers do not have any training on fire safety. At least 104 garments employees were killed in fire related incidents in garments factories in the last ten years.

 

2.  Researches have proved that the average life span of a rickshaw-puller is five years less than any other type of labourer. Diseases like bronchitis, asthma, thrombosis and rheumatoid arthritis are very prevalent among the rickshaw-pullers. Not only is their physical labour daunting but a rickshaw-puller has to endure a lot of physical abuse on the roads. 

 

3.  Tannery labourers are the worst victims of the gases produced in the factories. Most of them are exposed to these poisonous gases constantly as they live in adjacent slums. The labourers do not wear protective gloves, aprons, masks or boots. As a result, they are badly affected by gases and other chemicals. Consequently most of them suffer from chronic coughs and headaches.