Centre for Environmental and Resource Management (CERM), BUET organized the Dissemination Workshop on “Addressing Health and Safety Aspects in Development Projects” on 15 October 2025 at BUET, Dhaka.

The event—held in collaboration with The World Bank under the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) Capacity Building Plan—brought together representatives from DoE, DIFE, ERD and MoL to strengthen institutional coordination for effective Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Community Health and Safety (CHS) governance in Bangladesh.

Key Resource Persons: Prof. Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, BUET Prof. Dr. Masud Iqbal Shameem, Director (Environmental Clearance), DoE Ms. Sheuly Aktar, Deputy Inspector General, DIFE

Highlights from Key Remarks: “Bridging institutional gaps between DoE and DIFE is essential for enforcing OHS and CHS across all project phases. Even small, collective actions can drive lasting change.” — Mr. Iqbal Ahmed, Senior Environmental Specialist, The World Bank

“The gap between implementation and oversight must be reduced through clarity of mandates and better coordination mechanisms.” — Mr. S.M. Julkarnine, Senior Social Development Specialist, The World Bank

“This workshop marks the beginning of a coordinated effort among DoE, DIFE, and other agencies to institutionalize OHS and CHS practices in Bangladesh’s development projects.” — Prof. Dr. Sheikh Mokhlesur Rahman, Director, CERM, BUET

Key Takeaways: Strengthen coordination between DoE and DIFE through a joint working mechanism, Integrate OHS within Environmental Clearance and EIA processes, Develop sector-specific OHS guidelines for construction and infrastructure, Enhance accountability, monitoring, and awareness through continuous training.

The workshop emphasized building synergy among agencies to ensure safer, more sustainable, and inclusive development outcomes in Bangladesh.