Staff Reporter :
The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act 2018 with more facilities for workers.
The workers’ representation has been brought down to 20 per cent from the existing 30 per cent in formation of a trade union in a factory, according to the draft.
The government approved the law in the weekly Cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair on Monday.
Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam said, “The amendment to the labour law was brought to make it suitable to the proposals of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to ensure labour friendly atmosphere in every industries”. According to the existing labour law, some 30 per cent of an enterprise’s minimum members are needed to get a trade union registered. The government will have to register within 55 days after receiving an application for registering a trade union. An appeal can be filed with the labour court within 30 days from the cancellation date of an application.
The Labour law was enacted in 2006 to protect workers’ rights and increase productivity. In 2013, massive changes have been brought to the labour law.
In line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the labour law was proposed to bring changes to all areas, the Cabinet Secretary said.
According to the revised labour law, factory workers will be given the festival allowances and women workers will be eligible for up to eight weeks of maternity leave.
If a factory has more than 25 workers, a dining room with water and rest room must be arranged for them, said the Cabinet Secretary.
If the workers wish they can work on weekends and then enjoy those with festival holidays. If a factory gets worker work in the festival holidays, it must pay a two-day compensation wage, including one-day leave, he said.
The word ‘teenager’ has been added to the law by excluding ‘adolescent’ from the labour law. Earlier, 12-year-old children got a chance to work in the factory. Under the revised law, teenagers aged between 14 and 18 can do light work.
The law proposed formation of a tripartite consultation committee (TCC) comprising workers, owners and government representatives to resolve any industrial dispute.
Simultaneously, the draft incorporated tougher provisions to strictly prohibit misconducts on the part of owners and workers.
A worker or owner would get one-year imprisonment or penalty of Taka 10,000 or both for any misconduct, including violation of the law.
The law suggested punitive actions for workers acts like mounting undue pressure, threat or physical assault to compel owners to sign any agreement, disrupting power, gas or water supplies and unlawful shut downs.
