FE Report
Scopes to ensure labour rights in Bangladesh have steadily been narrowing down despite the global placement that progress has been made in the country, trade union leaders observed at a workshop on Saturday.
They said that there had been amendments to labour laws but failed to meet the expectations, pointing out that there has been insufficient protection for workers in various sectors.
They came up with the views at a workshop titled "Labour Law Amendment and Protection of Labour Rights", jointly organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and Solidarity Center at a city hotel.
Sultan Uddin Ahmed, executive director of BILS, moderated the workshop, aiming to formulate joint proposals on the amendments to labour law and submit those to the government authorities concerned.
The trade union leaders said more than 85 per cent of workers employed in informal sectors still remain outside the purview of labour law.
It puts them at risk due to absence of safeguards while the absence of 'appropriate definition' of workers is also depriving the formal sector workers of getting lawful facilities and benefits, they pointed out.
Citing examples, they noted that complications in the formation of trade unions still remain while penalties for employers who violate labour laws have not been increased.
They called for comprehensive amendments to the labour law not because of the international pressure but for ensuring discrimination-free labour environment and civic status of workers for their wellbeing.
Labour leaders opined that visible progress has not been observed in providing proper compensation to injured workers while demands to increase maternity leave, prevention of sexual harassment in the workplaces or expedite the resolution of delayed judicial processes in labour courts are yet to be met.
Disparities in labour rights are still evident in the country due to the Labour Act and EPZ Labour Act, they said, demanding bringing export processing zones' (EPZs) workers under the purview of labour law.
Speaking at the meeting, trade union leader Chowdhury Ashikul Alam said there are hardly any changes, especially related to labour rights, taking place unless there is any international pressure.
As the changes are not made willingly, there remain many loopholes, he said, adding that if workers want to get a legal step, many of them can't as they don't have appointment letters as either their employers do not provide the same in time of recruitment or they are contractual.
He also alleged that there are also widespread issues related to trade union registration including threshold.
He also called for ensuring trade unions' accountability for the greater interest of workers' wellbeing.
Solidarity Center country programme director AKM Naseem said trade unions must be too strong to realise workers' demands and in that case if the trade union registration threshold is decreased, there might be possibility of 'weak' unions.
There might be more trade unions in a factory or industrial establishments due to decrease in threshold and there are also possibilities of workers not being unionised in a particular factory, he said, adding what would happen to those workers and how their rights be ensured, should be considered.
Labour leader Babul Akhtar proposed taking into consideration the impact of climate change, using AI and automation on workers and their way outs in time of labour law amendments.
Labour leaders said that if the process of amending the law is reduced to merely adding or deleting sections of the labour law or inserting new ones, the desired outcome will not be achieved.
They stressed on developing an effective tripartite system involving the government, employers and workers, to ensure a balanced power dynamic among the three parties.
Both the Tripartite Consultative Council (TCC) at the national level and the Tripartite Committee on Labour Law Amendment possess only the power to make recommendations, which they identified as a significant 'weakness'.
Lawyers and judges in labour courts should play a positive role, and employers should be sensitive to the issues of workers' organisation and collective bargaining in order to strengthen unions that serve for the protection of workers.
Employers should adopt a more generous approach to maintaining balanced industrial relations while the government should work to develop labour rights institutions, ensuring that workers have proper representation in all labour-related forums.
Labour rights organisations should also assist workers in developing leadership and capacity building, particularly in judicial proceedings to resolve cases, they noted.
They called for speedy implementation of the roadmap prescribed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) related to labour rights.
Trade union leaders Rajekuzzaman Ratan, Tapan Dutt, AM Nazimuddin, Abul Kalam Azad, Sakil Akhtar Chowdhury, Pulak Ranjan Dhar, Shahidullah Badal, AAM Fayez Hossain, Abul Hossain and Salauddin Swapan, among others, spoke at the workshop.
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