Govt eyes nationwide health insurance for workers: Minister
The proposed expansion follows a new BKMEA–Guardian Life partnership that will provide life insurance, telemedicine services and healthcare benefits to knitwear workers, with the government now considering a similar model for workers nationwide.
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury today (6 August) said the government is exploring a broader health insurance framework for workers across Bangladesh, following a partnership between the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Guardian Life Insurance to provide insurance and healthcare support for knitwear workers.
The initiative was launched at a signing ceremony held at a city hotel under which knitwear workers and employees will receive life insurance coverage, 24/7 telemedicine services and selected healthcare benefits.
Addressing the ceremony, Choudhury said the ministry would soon hold discussions with BKMEA, Guardian Life and other stakeholders to explore extending a similar health coverage model to workers nationwide.
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"If the government joins hands with such private-sector initiatives, bringing workers under health coverage will not be difficult," he said.
He added that he would ask the labour secretary to convene a meeting with industry representatives, insurance experts and other stakeholders within this month to examine how the model could be scaled up.
The minister said the initiative could become a model for Bangladesh if implemented successfully, adding that improved healthcare and welfare benefits would contribute to greater industrial stability and reduce labour unrest.
Terming workers as the "Country's assets" rather than merely labourers, Choudhury said better healthcare, housing and education facilities would strengthen productivity and improve the country's industrial competitiveness.
He also directed the labour ministry to review utilisation of the Labour Welfare Fund, saying the government needs a clearer picture of how much money has been collected since its inception and how it has been spent on workers' welfare.
Earlier, BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said the association chose Guardian Life after weighing the insurer's credibility and the reputation of its sponsors, including BRAC, Square and Apex.
Recalling a previous experience with another insurer, Hatem said BKMEA had faced difficulties settling claims under a group insurance scheme, with hundreds of claims initially rejected on technical grounds before the association pursued the matter through alternative dispute resolution.
"We wanted an insurance partner that workers and factory owners could trust," he said.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury, Labour Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarafder, Square Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Tapan Chowdhury, Apex Footwear Managing Director Syed Nasim Manzur, BKMEA Vice-President Mohammad Rashed, and senior officials of BKMEA and Guardian Life Insurance.
