The parliament on Monday passed the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Bill, 2013 to make the existing law time befitting for workers’ welfare.
Labour and Employment Minister Raziuddin Ahmed Razu moved the bill which was later passed in voice vote, reports BSS.
The bill was passed keeping the provisions of allowing trade unionism in factories, ensuring safety measures for workers at their workplace, introducing compulsory group insurance and stopping children to be involved in hazardous works.
To make the law time-befitting, a total of 87 sections of the 2006 labour law, first of its kind in the country, have been amended. According to the amendments, employees would no longer need approval from factory owners to form trade unions.
With the passage of the bill, workers would just need to apply to the labour directorate for authorisation. The amendment also allows trade unions to be formed in the different administrative wings of a factory, something not permitted under the existing law.
The law stipulates that 5% of annual profit be deposited in provident and welfare funds. It also has the provision of paying compensation for the workers in case of their death, termination from services and accidental deaths during duty hours.
Earlier, treasury bench member Junaid Ahmed Palak, Worker’s Party lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon and Jatiya Party member Mujibur Haque brought some amendment proposals on the bill along with eliciting public opinion.
Among those, a number of amendment proposals brought by Junaid Ahmed and Mujibur Haque were accepted by the House and the rest were rejected through voice vote.
Besides, the third reports of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives was placed in the House on Monday. Committee Chairman Alhaz Advocate Rahmat Ali placed the report in the House.
Source: DhakaTribune
