The World Federation of Trade Unions; Bangladesh Committee organized a national seminar on proposed amendments of country’s Labour Law-2006 on 12th July, 11a.m at Reporters Unity Auditorium, Dhaka, Bangladesh. This seminar was attended by eminent lawyers, intellectuals and trade union leaders from different sectors of the country. Speakers at the seminar seriously urged to the government to amend Labour Law-2006 to ensure workers rights and interest accordingly. As the existing Labour Law of the country is highly criticized by trade unions and many social-political organizations for its inadequacy to protect worker’s right and interest; so there is no alternative to amend the law, speakers added.
According to comrade Wajed ul Islam Khan, Member of the WFTU Presidential Council and General Secretary of the
Bangladesh Trade Union Centre and Coordinator of the SKOP (Joint Commitee of the main Bangladesh Central Unions)
“Bangladesh is a country which is ratified 7 core I.L.O conventions out of 8 and those ratified conventions are strongly relevant to the right of ‘Freedom of Association’ and ‘Freedom of Choosing Leadership’. Despite government’s ratification of such a big numbers of ILO conventions, the Labour Law of the country still remains unfriendly to the workers. Although the government is an elected parliamentary government, but there is heavy pressure to the government from the owners and employers of industries. Since, 26 Members of Parliament are direct owner of different garment factories. So, it is predictable why they are pressuring government not to take any positive steps for a ‘workers friendly labour law’.
Immediate after the independence of the country there were about 80% workers in public sector and 20% in private sector, after 1975, the situation worsened and by continuing so called neoliberal economy the figure for public sector is now about 5-6% and in private sector 93-94%. In both industrial and agriculture sector there are about 6 million workers and many workers from informal sectors remain under the jurisdiction of this Law. But every moment workers rights been violated and law remains silent. Moreover, the safety and hygiene at workplace, rights of women workers have been endangered due to deficiency of the Labour Law-2006. According to legal experts, this Labour Law is totally contradictory to ILO Convention 87and 98. The existing labour law has practically seized the fundamental rights of workers both in formal and informal sectors. Consequently, massacre like ‘Rana Plaza’ occurred and unrest and instability are rapidly increasing among workers.
Considering all these situations, voice has been raised by 30 trade union organizations of Bangladesh to strengthen a movement for amendment of Labour Law-2006.
World Federation of Trade Unions; Bangladesh Committee seeks international solidarity for this just movement of workers of Bangladesh.”