Govt mulls incorporation of jail term in labour law
Syful Islam | Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Syful Islam
The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) is in a fix over incorporation of jail term in the Bangladesh Labour Law since the employers are strongly opposing it, official sources said. "The government is firm in its position to incorporate jail term for violating labour law but is facing strong opposition from the employers," a top official of the MoLE told the FE. State Minister of the ministry Begum Monnujan Sufian told the FE that violators of the labour law would be punished both ways. "They must face fine and imprisonment", she said. "We have received recommendations from workers and employers. Now we will take decision considering all the things", she added. 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 has received 973 recommendations from workers, employers, institutions and individuals for amendment of the Labour Law 2006. Bangladesh is a signatory to the ILO Convention. The Convention ensures freedom of association and protection of the right to organise convention, guarantees that workers and employers, without distinction whatsoever, shall have the right to establish and to join organisations of their own choice without previous authorization. The Conven-tion allows right to organize and right to collective bargaining. The Convention protects all workers against acts of anti-union discrimination. Sources said the government is favouring a proposal of incorporation of jail term of up to three months and fine up to Tk 200,000 in place of existing Tk 25,000 for violation of labour law. The labour representatives are fiercely demanding incorporation of both kinds of punishment while the employers are opposing the provision of imprisonment. Labour leader Roy Romesh Chandra told the FE Sunday that in Bangladesh employers frequently violated the labour law in many ways and that was why they were afraid of jail term in the labour law.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) is in a fix over incorporation of jail term in the Bangladesh Labour Law since the employers are strongly opposing it, official sources said. "The government is firm in its position to incorporate jail term for violating labour law but is facing strong opposition from the employers," a top official of the MoLE told the FE. State Minister of the ministry Begum Monnujan Sufian told the FE that violators of the labour law would be punished both ways. "They must face fine and imprisonment", she said. "We have received recommendations from workers and employers. Now we will take decision considering all the things", she added. 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 has received 973 recommendations from workers, employers, institutions and individuals for amendment of the Labour Law 2006. Bangladesh is a signatory to the ILO Convention. The Convention ensures freedom of association and protection of the right to organise convention, guarantees that workers and employers, without distinction whatsoever, shall have the right to establish and to join organisations of their own choice without previous authorization. The Conven-tion allows right to organize and right to collective bargaining. The Convention protects all workers against acts of anti-union discrimination. Sources said the government is favouring a proposal of incorporation of jail term of up to three months and fine up to Tk 200,000 in place of existing Tk 25,000 for violation of labour law. The labour representatives are fiercely demanding incorporation of both kinds of punishment while the employers are opposing the provision of imprisonment. Labour leader Roy Romesh Chandra told the FE Sunday that in Bangladesh employers frequently violated the labour law in many ways and that was why they were afraid of jail term in the labour law.