From pilot to policy: Media advocacy drives Bangladesh’s employment injury scheme forward

DHAKA (ILO News) - Labour experts and trade union leaders are urging the government to pass laws that will make the Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) available to everyone. With the pilot phase set to end in June 2027, advocates want to see the successful model currently protecting ready-made garment (RMG) workers expanded across the entire country.

This unified call to action took place during a special media orientation hosted by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) at the National Press Club in Dhaka on 29 September 2026.

The event brought together around 60 media professionals and workers' representatives to look back at four years of the EIS Pilot in action. Participants discussed how the scheme actually works for people on the ground, how to fund it sustainably, and the vital next steps needed to ensure every worker in Bangladesh can do their job with peace of mind.

"The EIS Pilot has clearly shown that a well-organized compensation system is completely workable and incredibly beneficial for Bangladesh," said Anwar Hossain, BILS Vice Chairman and EIS Governance Board member. "But true social justice means leaving absolutely no worker behind. We are looking to the media to share these success stories and help us build the momentum needed to write workplace safety and human dignity into our national laws."
A keynote presentation brought the pilot's real-world impact to life. The initiative thrives on technical guidance from ILO Bangladesh and GIZ, backed by funding from the Netherlands, Canada, the European Union, and German development cooperation. Today, 92 RMG brands are voluntarily stepping up to fund compensation for eligible workers, proving that international collaboration works.

Mr. Saad Gilani, Chief Technical Adviser of the EIS Project at the ILO, highlighted how the program supports both human rights and economic stability.

The EIS Pilot gives us an affordable foundation for building other social insurance schemes in Bangladesh," Mr. Gilani explained. "This system does more than just protect workers when they fall. It helps businesses thrive, builds trust between labour and management, and brings Bangladesh closer to global labour standards.”

While the pilot has been a triumph in the garment sector, millions of people working in other formal industries and the vast informal economy are still left without a safety net. To fix this, speakers outlined a clear, three-part roadmap for the coming years. They recommended expanding the model to all industrial sectors, finding ways to actively include informal workers, and passing mandatory laws to guarantee universal coverage well before 2027.

Md. Sekender Ali Mina, Executive Director of the Safety and Rights Society (SRS) sharing his insights on EIS with journalists and workers’ representation

“We have witnessed many heartbreaking incidents in which a workplace accident can economically and socially destroyed an entire family”, said Razequzzaman Ratan, president of Socialist Labour Front (SLF) and EIS Governance Board member. “Every worker - whether in the country’s leading export sector or a small workplace - has the right to be safe, protected and get support after accident. As trade unionists, it is our moral responsibility to demand universal protection for every worker. EIS should be the first footstep for our dream”.

Md. Towhidur Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Apparels Workers Federation (BAWF), and EIS Governance Board member mentioned that "the country’s leading export-oriented industry, the garment sector - with more than 4 million workers - has successfully piloted an Employment Injury Scheme. Establishing a permanent, legally binding national system is not just an option. It is an urgent need in the provision of social justice."

The orientation gave journalists the tools and data they need to understand the scheme's inner workings, from how benefits are calculated to how injured workers are supported. By pairing hard facts with human stories, the event aims to spark a national conversation about transitioning from a limited pilot to a truly universal system.

"As journalists, it is our job to turn complex policies into stories that people genuinely connect with," noted Monira Munni, Senior Staff Reporter, The Financial Express. "Seeing the real difference this pilot makes gives us the tools we need to elevate these crucial stories. We want to ensure the message of workplace safety is heard by policymakers and the public alike."

To make this vision of fair protection a reality, the ILO is calling on the Government of Bangladesh, employers, and workers' organizations to take decisive action together. By starting to draft the necessary legislation today, stakeholders can guarantee that by 2027, every single worker in Bangladesh will be protected under a permanent and universal Employment Injury Scheme, regardless of the sector they work in.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.