A total of 213 workers lost their lives in workplace accidents across Bangladesh during January and February 2025, according to a survey conducted by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS).

The survey, which was based on reports published in national dailies, also recorded that 170 workers were injured during the same period.

BILS published the findings on 28 April, coinciding with the country’s observance of National Occupational Health and Safety Day.

The day is also marked internationally as Workers’ Memorial Day, a time to remember and honour workers who have been killed, disabled, injured or made ill as a result of their work.

According to the BILS survey, the highest number of deaths, 182 workers, occurred in the transport sector.

Moreover, 7 workers died in the construction sector, 3 in the readymade garments sector, and 21 workers in other sectors.

Among the injured, 70 were transport workers, 18 were construction workers, 12 were RMG workers, and the rest, 70 workers, were injured across various other sectors.

In 2024, a total of 736 workers died due to workplace accidents, where 734 were male workers and 2 were female, said the BILS report.

In the transport sector, the highest number of deaths recorded, 292 workers, in the last year.

Furthermore, 300 workers were injured in workplace accidents in 2024, all of whom were male.

In the last 10 years, 8,511 workers died due to various accidents. During the period, in 2019, the highest number of workers died, which was 1,200.

In 2015, the industrial sectors witnessed lowest deaths of the workers in accidents, which was 363.

During the 10 years’ period, 5,787 workers got injured due to various accidents in the country’s industrial sector.

Meanwhile, at the ‘OSH Conference 2025,’ organised by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments in the capital on Monday, Labour Ministry Adviser M Shakhawat Hossain and other speakers urged for teamwork to prevent industrial crises.