Govt forms 17-member body to amend labour rules

The government, after amending the labour law, has initiated a move to bring required changes to the labour rules, aiming to effectively implement the law, officials say.
In this connection, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has formed a 17-member committee headed by the labour secretary, they add.
The labour ministry on March 12 issued a notification announcing the formation of the committee.
The committee has been tasked with drafting the required amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015 (amended 2022) to implement the Bangladesh Labour Ordinance 2025.
According to ministry sources, a total of 125 sections have been amended in the ordinance to strike a balance between the demands of both workers and owners.
Labour leaders, however, demand that the government adopt the amended labour ordinance in parliament, which has already accepted 133 reform proposals developed during the interim government's rule.
The proposals are important for the welfare of the worker community, they note.
Samajtantrik Sramik Front President Razekuzzaman Ratan has told The Financial Express the labour law is being implemented through the labour rules and a number of amendments have been made to the former.
For example, a number of sectors where trade unions are allowed have been included in the list, but the law does not elaborate on how those will be formed, says Ratan, also a member of the aforementioned committee.
It is the rules that are expected to explain how the laws will be implemented, he notes.
Also, the recently amended labour law increased the length of maternity leave to 120 days from 112. But there are some complexities about how the leave will be enjoyed - how many days before and after the birth of a child, he says.
A new provision has been introduced to prohibit discrimination against female workers. There is no clear definition of discrimination, and it will be made clear through the rules, Ratan says.
He further says the law has simplified the formation of trade unions, reduced the number of workers required to register them, and ensured effective implementation of the employment injury scheme (EIS), which is currently a pilot programme.
How the EIS will be implemented, how the fund will be collected, and what the contribution of workers and owners will be are to be resolved through the labour rules, he explains.
All the new issues included in the amended law are expected to be explained and implemented through the rules, he adds.
Labour leaders and employers say Bangladesh has ratified three International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions - Convention no 190, 155, and 187 - and the rules will explain how those will be implemented.

munni_fe@yahoo.com