Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq has said the government is determined to create a labour-friendly environment in the country as he addressed International Labour Organisation (ILO) governing body’s 350th session in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday.
“The government is pledge-bound to form a labour-friendly environment in the country and is taking every possible step to build necessary labour-relations for the welfare of the labourers,” an official release quoted the minister as saying.
Anisul Huq said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is taking these steps in line with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s dream to build a poverty and exploitation-free Bangladesh.
He narrated the progress made by Bangladesh in sectors like legal reform, trade union registration, labour related inspection and different rights of the labourers in accordance with the government’s roadmap 2021-26.
He also talked about doubling the punishment for unfair treatment towards union, tripling the punishment for illegally shutting down factories and quadrupling the punishment of child labour.
Apart from this, the law minister apprised the session of keeping provisions for processing the formation of trade unions in civil aviation and shipping sectors.
He said there is also a provision of easing trade union management and filing appeals against labour appeal tribunal’s judgment in the proposed amendment.
Most of the members of the ILO governing body addressed the session, lauding the important progress of Bangladesh government for establishing the rights of the labourers, the release said.
They also emphasised quick implementation of the roadmap and maintaining ILO technical assistance with affiliation of the supervisory body.
Later the law minister joined a bilateral meeting with the ILO Director General Gilbert Houngbo.
Anisul Huq at the meeting elaborated the government steps to improve the living standard of the working people and requested to continue the ILO assistance and partnership in this regard.
The ILO director general, as well, praised government’s goodwill and progress in implementing its steps, so far.
He also expressed his desire to visit Bangladesh in 2024, accepting the law minister’s invitation.