1. Asbestos : Country Profile BANGLADESH
Dr. S M Morshed
Vice Chairperson, OSHE
Bangladesh Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Foundation (OHSE)

2. Presentation outline Demographic and Socio Economic Date
Current Regulation on the Different Forms of Asbestos
Import of Asbestos in Bangladesh
Asbestos consumption
Asbestos contained materials
Domestic Production of Asbestos & Asbestos containing materials
Estimate workers exposed to asbestos
Industries exposure to asbestos and high risk of exposure
Burden of Asbestos Related Diseases
System for Inspection and exposure limits
Major studies on epidemiology of asbestos related diseases

3. Bangladesh –at a glance
Total Population
153 million
Life Expectancy
67 Years
Poverty Rate
29.06 %
Literacy Rate
50.82%
Total Labor Force
57 million
Labor in Industry
17.64%
Per Capita Income
923 US dollar

4. Current Regulation on the Different Forms of Asbestos
By regulation Asbestos are not “illegal” or unauthorized in Bangladesh.
Import Policy for has no restriction on asbestos.
there is no specific government circular prohibiting internal production of asbestos.
Ministry of Commerce is responsible for controlling Asbestos in Bangladesh  

5. Current Regulation on the Different Forms of Asbestos
1. Bangladesh Customs Tariff Code (BCTC) mentioned of asbestos as importable items
2. BCTC classifiably mentioned asbestos cement, fabricated asbestos of fibers, mixtures with a basis of asbestos, compressed asbestos fibers jointing, in sheets or rolls, friction materials containing asbestos.

6. Current Regulation on the Different Forms of Asbestos
Labour Act of Bangladesh has declared 'Asbestosis' as a occupational disease.
Govt. has imposed only 25% import tax on it. Asbestos traders are commonly alleged for hiding the information. Due to that exact volume of imported asbestos cannot be found.

7. Import of Asbestos in Bangladesh
Fiscal Year
Duration
Total Import USD
Monthly import USD
Remarks
July January 2011
10,03,866
143409
Statistics Locally available but could not be verified from any alternate source
July June 2010
15,47,880
128990
Source: Import Department of Bangladesh
2008
Jan- DEC
417240
Source: United State Geographical Survey (USGS)
2007
Jan-Dec
470184
39182
Statistics available in international documents
2006
Jan- Dec
447876
37323
2005
2004
343200
28600
2003
480480
40040
Source: Publicintegrity.org/asbestos consumption

8. Sources of Asbestos being imported in Bangladesh
Australia, Austria
Bulgaria, Canada
China, Cambodia
Denmark, Finland
French, Germany
Hongkong
India
Source – Bangladesh Bank

9. Types of asbestos & asbestos contained materials imported
Raw Asbestos
Article of Asbestos Cement.
Cellulose fibre-cement or the like
Corrugated Sheets
Asbestos sheets
Asbestos Panel
Asbestos Tiles
Asbestos Tubes
Asbestos Pipes
Asbestos Pipe Fittings
Fabricated asbestos fibers (thread, woven fabric, clothing, head-gear, footwear, gaskets).
Clothing
Footwear
Headgear
Paper
Mill hoard
Asbestos fiber jointing in sheet or roll
Friction materials (sheets, rolls, stips, segments, disks, washers, pads for brakes or clutches)
Brake linings or pads

10. Forms of Asbestos Raw asbestos Metallic form Gaseous form
Food-graded form
Powder form

11.   USE of ASBESTOS
Construction industry: insulation, sound absorption, strengthen cement.
Car Manufacture: brake shoes clutch pads, gaskets.
Shipbuilding: to insulate boilers, steam pipes, and hot water pipes.
Everyday Exposure: heat mats, carpet, blankets etc.

12. Domestic production of asbestos containing materials
Asbestos is widely used in dying of clothes.
The dying factories use liquid form of asbestos to ensure the color more brightness and longevity.

13. Estimate workers exposed to asbestos
  There is no specific survey findings on how many workers are exposed to asbestos in the country.

14. List of industries where exposure to asbestos
a) Construction Industry
b) Car manufacturing Industry
c) Ship breaking Industry
d) Shoe Making Industry
e) Electronic Pen Production Industry
f) Food Production Industry
g) Shoe making Industry
h) Paper production industry

15. Largest number of workers potentially exposed to asbestos
Construction Industry
Car Manufacturing Industry
Ship breaking Industry

16. Ship Breaking Industries : High Risk of Exposure

17. Survey Findings Knowledge Level on Asbestos
1 out of 17 ship breaking yard managers knows about Asbestos
5% of the worker-supervisors are aware of Asbestos
2% of the general workers heard the word ASBESTOS

18. RISK ANALYSIS : Workers Attitude towards ASBESTOS
Workers show a reluctant attitude even when they hear about possible harmful affects of asbestos exposure as they never heard anybody suffering from any diseases due to this.

19. Burden of Asbestos Related Diseases
National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) under the Ministry of Health mentioned in the position paper that several serious conditions are indirectly caused by Asbestosis, such as Mesothelioma, heart disease and lung cancer. But NIPSOM did not mention any information on disability adjusted life years.

20. Incidence of diseases & compensation
There is no case of official acknowledgment as asbestos victims
Directorate of Health Could not provide information on asbestos related diseases
The Labour Act-2006 of GoB acknowledged asbestos related diseases as compensable.

21. Government Mechanism for Inspection and compensation
The The Government mechanism is that Department of Inspection under the Ministry of Labour and Employment is responsible for enforcement even to ensure the compensation, where applicable in line with Labour Act

22. GAP Analysis 1. Inadequate Information on Asbestos
2. Lack of understanding at different levels
3. Lack of interest among Govt. agencies
to explore asbestos related information
4. Lack of Media Role on asbestos as public health issue
5. Importers are not aware on health hazard of asbestos.
6. Lack of research on asbestos in public health domain
7. Lack of diagnosis and identification asbestos victim

23. Ongoing campaign initiatives by OSHE
a) Conducting basic research and compilation of information from secondary sources
b) Sharing findings with stakeholders
Promoting the discussion and advocacy action on ban asbestos at different level
Building social alliance with different stakeholders.
Production & dissemination of campaign materials
Awareness raising in ship breaking yard and construction sector.

24. Towards Future Campaign Program
Extensive research /study on use and effects of asbestos in Bangladesh
Strengthening collaborative actions ( Ban Asbestos Network, Bangladesh ) and Develop Campaign Strategy
Production of IEC materials on asbestos issues
Orientation on Ban Asbestos for importers, GoV. officials and Media Persons
Introduce special diagnosis facilities in public hospitals for workers dealing with asbestos

25. T H A N K
Y O U
S O M U C H