‘ILO statement unwelcomed’

The Labour Ministry has reacted sharply to International Labour Organisation observations on the amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006, saying its comments are 'unwelcome'.

Labour Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju said at a press conference on Thursday that the criticism of the country's law by foreign news media and ILO was unacceptable.

“The Labour Act amendment bill is yet to become a law and no English version of it has been published. Yet, the ILO has made negative comments already.”

The ministry held the press briefing to clear possible ‘misunderstanding’ on the amended law.

The ILO released on July 22 a statement on the Bangladesh Labour Act (amendment)- 2013, passed recently.

The UN agency described it as positive -- a move that would help ensure workers' freedom of association, collective bargaining rights and better occupational safety and health, but added it was still short of addressing several key subjects.

Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar at the press briefing said, “The ILO can’t issue such as a statement without consulting with anyone. It is strictly their view.”

The Labour Minister mentioned the various facilities and trade union rights the amended law guarantees.

“The amendment is an ongoing process. Some proposals of the stakeholders -- owners and workers -- could not be taken up under the present circumstances, but there is always the scope for future changes,” Raju said.

When asked if the ILO observation would prompt further amendments, the Minister said, “There is no scope of a reviewing now.”

The USA had said it was unhappy with the country's labour conditions and stripped Bangladesh of the Generalized Systems of Preferences (GSP) at a time when the amendment had just been given Cabinet approval and was yet to be placed before Parliament.

The draft law was reviewed by an eleven-member committee comprising four ministers and a state minister before being passed by Parliament.

The new law provides for compulsory ‘group insurance’ for factory workers, saying establishments having more than 100 workers must ensure such coverage.

It says factories with more than 5,000 workers must have permanent health centers.

The new law gives greater powers to factory inspectors, who can now reject a factory design if necessary.

About the workers' right to form trade unions, the Labour Minister said, “Bangladesh is not Europe. The law was made in conformity with the country’s need and reality.”

The amended law allows three trade unions, each having 30 per cent of an establishment's workforce. They can also be led by labour leaders from outside the factory.