Focus on beefed up efforts for TUs\\\' proper working

FE Report
Labour leaders and experts from 20 countries at a regional seminar Tuesday called for beefed up efforts to ensure workers' rights by removing obstacles to proper functioning of trade unions (TUs).
They also urged the governments for ensuring basic freedom of trade unions and workers by easing provisions in labour laws.
The Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) organised the 3-day seminar at a city hotel.
ACTRAV Director Maria Helena Andre said in her inauguration speech that poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere.
She also outlined the role and importance of the social partners and ILO.
Ministry of Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar said the government is trying its best to ensure rights of the workers of all sectors.
"We are working to enforce workers' rights by enhancing our capacity of labour inspection system in Bangladesh, in which ILO is providing a vital support," he said.
ILO Country Director in Bangladesh Srinivas B Reddy said like Bangladesh, many countries in the Asia-Pacific Region are experiencing unparalleled growth and enjoying higher employment in industrial and service sectors.
"However, there remains a gap between the growth of the sectors and the growth of trade unions, which needs to be addressed with utmost sincerity to ensure freedom of association and rights to collective bargaining for the workers," he said.
Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF) Vice President Sabrina Islam highlighted the need and importance of trade unions at enterprise level, recognising that these act as the institution to promote and protect the rights of workers.
Around 40 trade union leaders from the Asia-Pacific Region are attending the seminar, which will focus on growth in trade union membership and increasing efforts to organising union in different sectors in the region.
At the same time the seminar will shed light on increasing abuse of union rights, harassment, detention of trade union leaders, denial of rights to form unions, rights to collective bargaining and severe restrictions on rights to industrial action, including rights to strike, organisers said.