The cabinet gave the final approval to
the draft of "The Bangladesh EPZ Labour Law, 2016" keeping a provision
for constitution of labour organisations in the Export Processing Zones
(EPZs) as well as (formation of) a permanent wage board for their
workers.
The approval came at the regular cabinet
meeting held on Monday at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed reporters.
He said the law is going to be framed in
the light of the existing Labour Law 2006. "The organisation to be
formed by the EPZ workers would be named as 'Shramik Kalyan Samity' and
it's consistent with the central bargaining agent (CBA) and trade
union," he said.
Under the proposed law, Alam said, the
family members of a worker would get compensation of Taka 2 lakh if he
or she dies while on duty, while Taka 2.25 lakh have been fixed for a
worker for his or her "permanent" or "complete" disability.
The cabinet secretary said that a committee was earlier formed to frame this law in line with the Bangladesh Labour Law, 2006.
Following the recommendations of the
body, he said, a draft was prepared and it was shared with all concerned
stakeholders including representatives of Shramik Kalyan Samity,
investors and various international agencies.
"The proposed law having 16 chapters and 202 sections is more or less inclusive and it is an integrated law," Alam said.
He said the advantages of the draft law
include financial facility for the workers, their retirement benefits,
mandatory group insurance, compensation in case of deaths, cash payment
for earned leave, paying full salary as festival bonus and maternity
leave for 16 weeks.
Alam said that the law has kept a
provision for forming a 12-member permanent wage board comprising the
representatives from workers and investors as well as representative
from a neutral source.
"The Executive Chairman of BEPZA would
act as the chief of the permanent wage board for fixing the minimum
wages for the workers," he said.
For having the right for forming labour
organization and operating its activities in the EPZs, he said that such
organization in the EPZs would be named as Shramik Kalyan Samity, which
has no difference with the other trade unions.
The cabinet secretary said that the
proposed law has ensured the right for joint wage bargaining for the
workers where the workers representatives would be able to bargain
directly with the owners for fixing wage, working hours, appointments
and the conditions for appointments and observing strikes.
"The government hopes that the EPZ
Labour Law would ensure labour-friendly atmosphere in the EPZs and
protect the rights of the workers," he said.
He said that the law is being framed
providing much more job security for the workers through ensuring the
rights for having Shramik Kalyan Samity, ensuring the right for joint
wage bargaining representative, placing industrial disputes, settle
those and the right for observing strikes.
Answering to a question, the cabinet
secretary said that the law is being framed in line with the ILO
convention since Bangladesh is a signatory to ILO while there were also
demands from the international agencies. "The government also had
sincere efforts to this end," he said.
He told another questioner that the
workers would retire from their jobs from the EPZ factories on
completion of 60 years age while they could also opt for (voluntary)
retirement upon completion of their jobs for 25 years.
"The workers would enjoy provident fund facilities in both the cases," he added.
The cabinet secretary said the meeting
was apprised of the participation of the foreign minister in the
extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers held at the OIC
Secretariat at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on January 21 and the visit of the
planning minister to Japan on November 19-20.
Besides, he said, the tour of a
Bangladesh delegation led by the expatriates welfare and overseas
employment minister to Qatar on February 3-5 and the visit of the state
minister for post and telecommunication to Singapore and Malaysia on
January 12-23 were apprised.
Ministers and state ministers concerned attended the meeting, while secretaries concerned were present.
