Bangladesh Occupational Safety Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE) conducted a rapid sample survey among 60 workers at 6 working sectors (readymade garments, leather, ship breaking, construction, waste recycling and home based work) under the district of Dhaka, Gajipur and Chittagong. It found that only 27% workers received the COVID-19 vaccine and 73% of workers have not yet received any vaccine from the government. The survey was carried out by OSHE foundation between 15 August to 10 September 2021.
The analysis showed that 47% workers surveyed already registered through the government designated app (Surokkha) as managed by the Department of Health, but most have been waiting for a long time to receive a date for the first dose of the vaccine. 30% workers from the survey informed that they missed to register through the Surokkha app due to lack of know-how, lack of access to internet, lack of required registration related support from concerned employer, any relevant government agency, local health service provider or community based organizations.
According to a sector wise analysis, only 3% workers in the RMG sector received COVID-19 vaccine, 5% workers in the construction sector, 3% in leather, 8% in waste recycling sector and only 7% of home based workers.
The vaccination rate among the ship breaking sector was found to be nil. Vaccination rate among female workers was found to be only 12% of the total number of workers. None of the workers from any sector reported any infection with the corona virus while only 8% of the workers had gone for covid-19 testing at local government facilities in the past.
