The first batch of beneficiaries from factories in Bangladesh's Export Processing Zones (EPZs) have been notified of compensation through the country's pilot Employment Injury Scheme.
Six months after the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) signed an agreement with the ILO and GIZ to extend the scheme to cover more than 500,000 workers in the country's eight EPZs, two families of deceased workers and one worker who suffered permanent disability have been found eligible for compensation.
During a ceremony to handover 'Notice of Awards' on 14 September 2025, BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman said: "Today marks a milestone in our journey toward establishing a sustainable and humane framework for workplace injury protection in Bangladesh. This Notice of Award is a symbol of our commitment to stand beside our workers during their most vulnerable moments."
© Mosrat Jahan/ILO
Khadija Khatun, 29, was widowed when her husband died while repairing a cargo lift in a factory at the Dhaka EPZ. She was left with two young children and her mother-in-law to care for.
"I will buy a sewing machine with this support. It will help me take care of my children after losing my husband," she said.
Sujana Das also lost her husband in a factory accident in the EPZ at Chattogram, Bangladesh's main seaport and logistics hub. Sujana and her nine-year-old daughter will now receive support through the employment injury scheme.
"Though I am working in a factory, my income is not enough. This money will help me to continue my daughter's education," she said.
"While no financial support can replace a life, timely compensation provides families with the stability they need to rebuild and continue their lives in dignity. The ILO remains fully committed to working with BEPZA and partners to expand and strengthen this scheme," Max Tuñón, the Country Director Designate for the ILO Office in Bangladesh said.
With contributions from international brands and with technical assistance from the ILO and GIZ, the EIS Pilot was launched in June 2022 in the export-oriented ready-made garment sector and extended to garment, leather and footwear factories in EPZs in February 2025. This initiative is supported by the Embassies of Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and EU.
An Endorsement Committee comprising representatives from BEPZA, investors, EPZ Workers' Welfare Associations, the ILO and GIZ meets to review and approve cases for compensation once a month.
Dr. Michael Klode, the GIZ representative, commended the partnership saying: "This scheme reflects a shared responsibility for protecting workers and employers alike. It is a unique case of how the needs of Bangladesh connect with development partner thinking in future-oriented programming."
