By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 12 August 2007
BANGLADESH Embassy officials are seeking a compensation for the family of a worker who was killed in a worksite accident.
An investigation has also been launched into the death of Ramzan Abdur Rashid, who was crushed to death under cement blocks at a construction site in Sehla on Friday.
The 41-year-old, who was employed by a construction company in Sitra, was piling cement blocks when a truck driver apparently unloaded more blocks by mistake.
He died at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) at around 12.30pm.
Embassy Interim Charge d’Affaires Masudur Rahman told the GDN that since Mr Rashid was working in Bahrain legally, their efforts are concentrated on getting him compensation from the company.
By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 12 August 2007
BANGLADESH Embassy officials are seeking a compensation for the family of a worker who was killed in a worksite accident.
An investigation has also been launched into the death of Ramzan Abdur Rashid, who was crushed to death under cement blocks at a construction site in Sehla on Friday.
The 41-year-old, who was employed by a construction company in Sitra, was piling cement blocks when a truck driver apparently unloaded more blocks by mistake.
He died at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) at around 12.30pm.
Embassy Interim Charge d’Affaires Masudur Rahman told the GDN that since Mr Rashid was working in Bahrain legally, their efforts are concentrated on getting him compensation from the company.
“An embassy representative has already been to the hospital to enquire about the present state of affairs,” he said.
“Mr Rashid’s family back home, consisting of his father, mother, wife and two children, have already been informed.
“His two brothers are also working in Bahrain and they are upset.
“His sponsor is co-operating and since he is legally employed at the company and all his papers are fine, he definitely is entitled to compensation.
“The best we can do for the deceased right now is help his poor family back home by getting them an amount that is rightfully his.”
Mr Rahman said that the embassy was also looking into allegations that it took more than an hour for anyone from the company to call an ambulance.
“From our initial findings, we were able to understand that it took at least an hour-and-a-half for an ambulance to be summoned by anyone at the construction site or the company,” he said.
“The loss of a life could possibly have been avoided if there wasn’t such a delay.
“It is a common practice that construction site labourers work with almost no safety precautions at all or immediate first-aid.”
“There is danger lurking in every crook and cranny of a construction site.
“The embassy has a campaign to spread awareness among the labourers on safety tips at the workplace.
“However, its high-time that companies take responsibility in educating their workers on how to work safe.
“It is actually a matter of little effort that can actually save a life and avoid unnecessary deaths.
An SMC official told the GDN that Mr Rashid was brought to the hospital with “little or almost no life left in him”.
“There weren’t much visible injuries on his body except for a few bruises on his chest,” said the official.
“He didn’t even have any head injury.
“The injury was internal, but there wasn’t much that could be done for him because he was brought here almost dead.
“So, even though we tried our best we couldn’t save him.” begena@gdn.com.bh
© Gulf Daily News