Amendments to labour law, policy facing setback
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Syful Islam
Proposed amendments to Bangladesh Labour Law and Bangladesh Labour Policy are facing setback as the Tripartite Council for Counselling (TCC) meeting could not be held during the last two months, officials said Tuesday. Both the law and the policy were scheduled to be amended in Parliament in the meantime and the ministry officials were planning announcement by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her May Day programme, they said. However, none of those so far could reach the cabinet committee for nod. The tripartite meeting to be attended government, employers and workers was scheduled for February 20 but was later deferred to April 6 and again to April 10. It has now become uncertain when the meeting will take place. An official of the Ministry of Labour and Employment told the FE it seemed that many in the government now did not want the amendment to be done. "After the Bangladesh Employers Federation officials met the minister, the TCC meeting was being deferred again and again," he said. Talking to the FE Tuesday Labour and Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain could not make sure when the TCC meeting would take place. "This is not an issue that has to be done by tomorrow," he said. The minister said: "It won't be right to make any hurry. We need everyone's opinion."The proposed amendment to the Bangladesh Labour Law has suggested incorporation of the provision of three months' imprisonment and fine up to Tk 200,000 in place of existing Tk 25,000 for violation of the law. It has also proposed engaging mobile court to enforce the law. State Minister of the ministry Begum Monnujan Sufian earlier told the FE that violators of the labour law would be punished both ways. "They must face fine and imprisonment", she said. The ministry has been working for the amendment of the Bangladesh Labour Law since June last year to make it up-to-date in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention. In this connection, it has formed a tripartite committee representing government, workers and employers. The ministry had received 973 recommendations from workers, employers, institutions and individuals for amendment of the Bangladesh Labour Law 2006. Labour leader Roy Romesh Chandra told the FE Tuesday that updating of the Bangladesh Labour law in line with the ILO convention was an election pledge of Bangladesh Awami League and 'we urge the government to prepare a democratic and full fledged law immediately. "The sooner the law and the policy will be amended and implemented, a congenial atmosphere in the industrial sector will be ensured," he said. Former president of Bangladesh Employers' Federation Kamran T Rahman told the FE Tuesday that it took some 10 to 12 years to prepare the law in 2006. "Yes, the amendment procedure is taking time but we have to make it faultless. Otherwise the amended version of the law will need further amendment," he said.
Proposed amendments to Bangladesh Labour Law and Bangladesh Labour Policy are facing setback as the Tripartite Council for Counselling (TCC) meeting could not be held during the last two months, officials said Tuesday. Both the law and the policy were scheduled to be amended in Parliament in the meantime and the ministry officials were planning announcement by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her May Day programme, they said. However, none of those so far could reach the cabinet committee for nod. The tripartite meeting to be attended government, employers and workers was scheduled for February 20 but was later deferred to April 6 and again to April 10. It has now become uncertain when the meeting will take place. An official of the Ministry of Labour and Employment told the FE it seemed that many in the government now did not want the amendment to be done. "After the Bangladesh Employers Federation officials met the minister, the TCC meeting was being deferred again and again," he said. Talking to the FE Tuesday Labour and Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain could not make sure when the TCC meeting would take place. "This is not an issue that has to be done by tomorrow," he said. The minister said: "It won't be right to make any hurry. We need everyone's opinion."The proposed amendment to the Bangladesh Labour Law has suggested incorporation of the provision of three months' imprisonment and fine up to Tk 200,000 in place of existing Tk 25,000 for violation of the law. It has also proposed engaging mobile court to enforce the law. State Minister of the ministry Begum Monnujan Sufian earlier told the FE that violators of the labour law would be punished both ways. "They must face fine and imprisonment", she said. The ministry has been working for the amendment of the Bangladesh Labour Law since June last year to make it up-to-date in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention. In this connection, it has formed a tripartite committee representing government, workers and employers. The ministry had received 973 recommendations from workers, employers, institutions and individuals for amendment of the Bangladesh Labour Law 2006. Labour leader Roy Romesh Chandra told the FE Tuesday that updating of the Bangladesh Labour law in line with the ILO convention was an election pledge of Bangladesh Awami League and 'we urge the government to prepare a democratic and full fledged law immediately. "The sooner the law and the policy will be amended and implemented, a congenial atmosphere in the industrial sector will be ensured," he said. Former president of Bangladesh Employers' Federation Kamran T Rahman told the FE Tuesday that it took some 10 to 12 years to prepare the law in 2006. "Yes, the amendment procedure is taking time but we have to make it faultless. Otherwise the amended version of the law will need further amendment," he said.