Bangladesh

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First and current law: 1998 (old-age).

Type of program: Social assistance system.

Coverage

Low-income citizens aged 65 or older.

Special system for public-sector employees.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Self-employed person: None.

Employer: None.

Government: The total cost.

Qualifying Conditions

Old-age pension: Aged 65 or older and residing in Bangladesh. Only one member from each family can receive the pension.

Disability pension: No benefits are provided.

Survivor pension: No benefits are provided.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension: The monthly pension is 300 taka and is paid quarterly.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Disability pension: No benefits are provided.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: No benefits are provided.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Social Welfare (http://www.msw.gov.bd) administers the program. Old-age pensions are paid through local branches of the government-run banks.

Sickness and Maternity

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1939.

Current law: 2006 (labor law).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Cash sickness benefits: Employees in manufacturing and in establishments with five or more workers.

Exclusions: Household workers, self-employed persons, and informal-sector workers.

Cash maternity benefits: Employed women.

Medical benefits: Some employers provide on-site medical facilities; workers may also use certain government-run hospitals.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: The total cost.

Government: Funds government hospitals.

Qualifying Conditions

Cash sickness benefits: Must be in insured employment.

Cash maternity benefits: Must have at least 6 months of employment with the same employer on the expected date of childbirth.

Sickness and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: The benefit is 100% of earnings and is paid for up to 14 days a year.

Maternity benefit: A cash benefit, depending on the level of the insured's earnings, is paid for 8 weeks before and 8 weeks after childbirth.

Workers' Medical Benefits

A medical allowance of 100 taka a month is paid to workers whose employer does not provide medical facilities.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor and Employment (http://www.mole.gov.bd) administers the program.

Public Health Service administers public health services.

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1923.

Current law: 2006 (labor law).

Type of program: Employer-liability system for accidental injuries and 33 listed occupational diseases.

Coverage

Employees of railways, docks, estates, and factories with five or more workers.

Exclusions: Household workers, self-employed persons, and informal-sector workers.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: The total cost.

Government: None.

Qualifying Conditions

Work injury benefits: There is a 3-day waiting period.

Temporary Disability Benefits

The benefit is 100% of the insured's earnings for the first 2 months, 66.7% of earnings for the next 2 months, and 50% of earnings for subsequent months of disability or for up to a year, whichever is shorter.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Permanent disability benefit: Up to 125,000 taka is paid.

Partial disability: A percentage of the full pension is paid according to the assessed loss of earning capacity.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor benefit: Up to 125,000 taka is paid to survivors.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor and Employment (http://www.mole.gov.bd) administers the program.

Commissioner of Workmen's Compensation provides supervision.

Unemployment

Regulatory Framework

No statutory unemployment benefits are provided.

The 2006 labor law requires employers to provide a termination benefit, a retrenchment and layoff benefit, and a benefit for discharge from service for ill health to workers in commerce and industry.

Permanent employees with monthly salaries receive half of the average basic wage for 120 days (plus a lump-sum payment of 1 month of salary for each year of service); casual workers for 60 days (plus a lump-sum payment of 14 days of wages for each year of service); and temporary workers for 30 days.