The High Court on Monday directed the government not to release the due funds of employers of Chevron Bangladesh as there is a possibility that the company might leave the country without paying their funds to the employees.
The HC Bench of Justice Zinat Ara and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo give the order after a supplementary writ petition was collectively filed by 538 Chevron employees.
The lawyer of Chevron BD employees, Barrister Omar Sadat, said that Chevron might leave Bangladesh anytime as it has no fixed asset in the country. Transferring of its share to Xhenhua, the Chinese company, is now under process, he added.
If Chevron leaves Bangladesh by selling its shares, the employers will not get their due payments under the Workers Participation Fund, he said, adding that around 76 million US dollars are due to the employers of Chevron since 2006.
Barrister Sadat said the HC will decide in its final verdict how the employers of Chevron will get the due funds as a rule is pending before it.
Following the writ petition, the HC on December 15 last year issued the rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to take appropriate legal action against Chevron Bangladesh for not sharing a due part of its profit with its employees.
The employees urged the HC to order the government to take necessary action against Chevron for not giving a part of profit to them accumulated from 2006 to 2013.
Chevron is supposed to share 5 per cent of net profits with its workers and officials under Bangladesh Labour Act 2006, Barrister Sadat said.
The law also permits the government to take legal action against the company for not doing so, he added.
