Pioneered in the export-oriented garment industry, Bangladesh's pilot employment injury scheme has this year been extended to workers in the export-processing zones (EPZs) and the leather goods and footwear industry. It is now set to be scaled up nationally.

A momentous signing ceremony was hosted by Leathergoods And Footwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) on Monday, May 19, 2025, marking the official launch of three groundbreaking initiatives: the Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) Pilot, the Simon Project, and Labor Law Compliance and Productivity Industry Preparedness Program (IPP). These projects represent a significant stride toward strengthening workplace safety, occupational health, and social and environmental compliance in Bangladesh’s leathergoods and footwear industry.

ASOS, the global fashion destination, has joined the Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) Pilot in Bangladesh, implemented by the International Labour Organisation and Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

15 April, 2025As we approach the entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) on 26 June 2025, IndustriALL and its affiliates are pushing to ensure that the transition to a compliant shipbreaking industry does not leave workers behind. In early April, two training sessions, a yard visit and a roundtable discussion took place in Chittagong, Bangladesh, bringing together workers, union leaders, employers and experts to confront the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.