A high-level 3+5+1 meeting is likely to be held in June to review the implementation of a roadmap on Bangladeshi worker rights issues prescribed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
No meeting of the group has been hosted in the past two years due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic across the world, an official said.
The implantation progress of the national action plan (NAP) for Bangladeshi workers and the latest labour rights situation may also be tabled in the meeting.
The last meeting took place in Dhaka in 18 February 2020 to take stock of the progress in the sustainability compact commitments.
It is built on short- and long-term commitments related to three inter-linked pillars-respect for labour rights, structural integrity of buildings and occupational safety and health, and responsible business conduct.
The European delegation to Bangladesh has suggested organising a fresh meeting of the 3+5+1 before the end of this June.
In a letter, it writes, "A 3+5+1 meeting could be a very good occasion to have an exchange of views with regards to Bangladesh's improvement in workplace safety and the labour rights situation, especially in the context of the implementation of the Roadmap for ILO and the NAP for the labour sector of Bangladesh."
"In respect, on behalf of all partners, we would like to propose the meeting to be held on a suitable day between 12 and 30 June," it says.
Senior commerce secretary and EU ambassador will co-chair the meeting in the presence of two secretaries of foreign affairs and labour ministries, and four heads of mission of the US, the UK, the ILO and the EU rotating member country, in this case the Netherlands.
According to the EU letter, a draft agenda will be submitted for consideration after Eid holidays.
The last meeting noted the progress taken place so far but underscored the need for having the same provisions of freedom of association in the Bangladesh Labour Act (BLA) and the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) Act, discloses an ILO document.
But the legislative bar in the EPZ Act on trade union registration in the EPZ needs to be fixed in compliance with recommendations from the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, and international labour standards (ILS).
The threshold of worker participation in the formation and registration of the unions needs to be taken out as per the ILS provisions, reads the document.
It suggests that a roadmap be outlined for the actions undertaken in response to C87 and C98, elimination of child labour and greater functioning of the labour judiciary.
Importance was laid on the reinstatement of the workers dismissed and blacklisted from the last demonstration on the ready-made garment (RMG) wage structure and their involvement in unionism.
Emphasis is given to adopt a transparent mechanism to implement standard operating procedures for union registration and stakeholders' awareness building.
It underscores the establishment of a legal unit under the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) with experts to facilitate the process of complaint mechanism.
The paper suggests that the Bangladesh National Building Code include a separate chapter for RMG sector with regard to its unique structure and load capacity.
The relevant codes should be revised through an expert panel, according to the document available on the ILO website.
There should be clarity about the roles and responsibilities between the industry safety unit and the RMG Sustainability Council, and a narrative is required to demystify operational relations between the two entities.
The DIFE's regulatory authority on factory licensing, labour inspection and other functions should not be delegated to any private body.
The BGMEA should have active involvement in the trial process of employment injury insurance scheme in 100-percent export-oriented garment units covering some 150,000 workers and labour ministry should endorse it.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
