Speakers call for enactment of law to ensure work for all
Monday, 30 March 2009
FE Report
The constitution of the country has endorsed its citizens' right to work and now it is the government's responsibility to ensure that by enactment of necessary law, speakers said at a seminar Sunday.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised the seminar on "100-Day Employment Generation Programme (100-DEGP): Challenges of Effective Implementation" as part of a two-day conference on "Development with Equity and Justice: Immediate Tasks for the Newly Elected Government" at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.
Out of Tk 20 billion allotted under the programme, Tk 12 billion has already been spent in the first phase (September-October 2008). The rest will be spent in the second phase, which will start soon.
Dr Fahmida Khatun, additional director of CPD, presented the keynote paper on the concluding day of the conference, which she prepared with her two other colleagues-Kazi Mahmudur Rahman, senior research associate, and Ashiqun Nabi, research associate.
The paper focused on progress, limitations and impacts of the first phase of the 100-DEGP, which started last year, informed Fahmida Khatun. "It will help the policy-makers make the project more effective."
According to the paper, some 2 million people across the country will benefit from it.
The paper also pointed out some limitations. "One of the major loopholes is that the programme is not based on a legal basis. And the guideline does not clearly define the formation procedure of various committees," Fahmida Khatun said.
The recommendations the paper made include improving efficiency in fund utilisation, adequate planning and preparation, devoting more time and training for designing and planning, revisiting the programme's status quo, proper monitoring, targeting the beneficiaries, and introduction of a joint taskforce to implement the second phase.
Speaking as chief guest, Prime Minister's Adviser HT Imam acknowledged that the project had some limitations.
"The project is more or less successful despite all limitations. But we have to make it long-term to make it more effective."
"The government will act on its election promises to reduce the number of poor phase by phase," he said adding that some 28 million people of the country were still unemployed.
"All of these problems will be overcome, if the government can just implement its election manifestoes."
Former caretaker government adviser Dr Akbar Ali Khan said the right to work has been guaranteed by the constitution. 'We have to make that effective.'
"The current programmes are all uniform. Those progrmmes might be on the relief side. But at the same time there must be some programmes on the employment generation side."
President of Bangladesh Economic Association Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed stressed on sustainable employment. "Otherwise, there will not be any long-term development in the country."
Noted economist Dr Atiur Rahman said the crisis lies ahead is the crisis of employment generation in the wake of the global financial crisis.
He also demanded enactment of a related law.
CPD Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan who chaired the session said the constitution has endorsed its citizens' right to work. The election manifesto of the present government also reiterated that.
"Employment must be generated to fulfill its election manifesto," the noted economist said.
Representatives from different development organisations, civil society members and academics participated in the seminar.
The constitution of the country has endorsed its citizens' right to work and now it is the government's responsibility to ensure that by enactment of necessary law, speakers said at a seminar Sunday.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised the seminar on "100-Day Employment Generation Programme (100-DEGP): Challenges of Effective Implementation" as part of a two-day conference on "Development with Equity and Justice: Immediate Tasks for the Newly Elected Government" at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.
Out of Tk 20 billion allotted under the programme, Tk 12 billion has already been spent in the first phase (September-October 2008). The rest will be spent in the second phase, which will start soon.
Dr Fahmida Khatun, additional director of CPD, presented the keynote paper on the concluding day of the conference, which she prepared with her two other colleagues-Kazi Mahmudur Rahman, senior research associate, and Ashiqun Nabi, research associate.
The paper focused on progress, limitations and impacts of the first phase of the 100-DEGP, which started last year, informed Fahmida Khatun. "It will help the policy-makers make the project more effective."
According to the paper, some 2 million people across the country will benefit from it.
The paper also pointed out some limitations. "One of the major loopholes is that the programme is not based on a legal basis. And the guideline does not clearly define the formation procedure of various committees," Fahmida Khatun said.
The recommendations the paper made include improving efficiency in fund utilisation, adequate planning and preparation, devoting more time and training for designing and planning, revisiting the programme's status quo, proper monitoring, targeting the beneficiaries, and introduction of a joint taskforce to implement the second phase.
Speaking as chief guest, Prime Minister's Adviser HT Imam acknowledged that the project had some limitations.
"The project is more or less successful despite all limitations. But we have to make it long-term to make it more effective."
"The government will act on its election promises to reduce the number of poor phase by phase," he said adding that some 28 million people of the country were still unemployed.
"All of these problems will be overcome, if the government can just implement its election manifestoes."
Former caretaker government adviser Dr Akbar Ali Khan said the right to work has been guaranteed by the constitution. 'We have to make that effective.'
"The current programmes are all uniform. Those progrmmes might be on the relief side. But at the same time there must be some programmes on the employment generation side."
President of Bangladesh Economic Association Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed stressed on sustainable employment. "Otherwise, there will not be any long-term development in the country."
Noted economist Dr Atiur Rahman said the crisis lies ahead is the crisis of employment generation in the wake of the global financial crisis.
He also demanded enactment of a related law.
CPD Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan who chaired the session said the constitution has endorsed its citizens' right to work. The election manifesto of the present government also reiterated that.
"Employment must be generated to fulfill its election manifesto," the noted economist said.
Representatives from different development organisations, civil society members and academics participated in the seminar.