ZCZC
BSS-12
CABINET-LAW-LABOUR
Cabinet Okays draft of amended labour law
DHAKA, Sept 3, 2018 (BSS) – The Cabinet today approved in principal the
draft of Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act, 2018 aimed at making it
friendlier for workers alongside disciplining workers and owners conduct for
increased productivity.
“The cabinet approved the law in the weekly cabinet meeting at Bangladesh
Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair,” Cabinet
Secretary Md. Shafiul Alam told a news briefing after the meeting.
He added: “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”.
Alam said the law proposed formation of a tripartite consultation
committee (TCC) comprising workers, owners and government representatives to
resolve any industrial dispute.
Simultaneously, he said, 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,” Alam said.
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.
The law said support of 51 percent workers would be required to enforce
any work abstention or lock-out while it reduced the jail term of a worker
for taking part in any illegal lock-out to six month from one year.
The labour law was originally framed in 2006 to protect worker rights and
increase productivity which was radically amended in 2013.
The law proposed increased allowances and benefits and lessening punitive
measures against the labourers while it suggested that working hour of a
labour in general should not be more than 10 hours a day excluding dining and
rest time.
“However, the law kept provisions so the government can change the working
time for specialized industries,” Alam said. According to the law, expectant
mothers would be entitled to get eight week maternity leave and other
benefits within three days of submission of necessary of documents.
“An owner may face penalty of Taka 25,000 on charge of depriving an
expectant mother from maternity leave,” he said referring to the draft.
The law suggested that the labourers would be entitled to get festival
allowances as per rules and workers of the export oriented and foreign
exchange earning industries would enjoy the facilities from central group
insurance policy.
At the same time, he said, the law prohibited engagement of children and
physically challenged persons in any risky job.
Every industrial unit having more than 25 workers must have an arrangement
of a dining and rest room with the facilities of drinking water.
Worker if wish could enjoy weekly holiday merging with festival holidays.
On any festival holiday, a worker could be asked to work in exchange of an
one day alternate holiday and compensation allowances equivalent to wages of
two days.
According to the law, the government would prepare a standard operating
procedure (SOP) for registration of the labour organizations. A labour
organization would apply for registration in specific form and the Director
General of the Labour Directorate would resolve the application within 55
days.
A worker of an industry can be member of only one trade union, the law said
but suggested one month imprisonment for duel membership.
The law also proposed elevated status of the government’s inspection unit
to be headed by a director general.
“Thus, the post of the Labour Inspector would be upgraded to Inspector
General, deputy director to additional inspector general, joint inspector to
joint inspector general and assistant inspector to assistant inspector
general,” Alam said.
The position of the Director of the Department of Labour would be elevated
to the post Director General while other posts would be upgraded accordingly,
the cabinet secretary said.
BSS/AKH/AR/1555 hrs