State minister for labour Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury on Saturday said that the recommendations of the international community over Bangladesh鈥檚 labour situation would be largely fulfilled after passing of the labour amendment bill, which will be placed at the next session of the Jatiya Sangsad.
鈥榃e are not worried over the labour action plan provided by the United States and the European Union as Bangladesh is going to pass the labour (amendment) bill as per the recommendations of the International Labour Organisation,鈥� he said at a press conference on the eve of National Occupational Health and Safety Day held at the Shrama Bhaban in the city.
The state minister said that the requirements from the ILO and the EU were almost same and most of their demands would be fulfilled with passing of the amendment bill.
Nazrul expressed hope saying that the labour amendment bill would be passed in the next parliament session, which would start on May 2.
In 2019, the EU provided a list of 鈥榮uggested actions on labour rights鈥� to the Bangladesh government and requested it to develop and submit to it a time-bound roadmap to address the issues.
As per the suggestions from the EU, Bangladesh, in association with the ILO, had developed a time-bound action plan to address the labour rights issues.
Recently, the United States provided Bangladesh an 11-point labour action plan for obtaining duty-free access for Bangladeshi products on the US market.
鈥榃e are closely working with the ILO and the EU and we also provide progress report to them twice a year,鈥� the state minister said.
He also said that the parliament had passed the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) bill in November 2023 but the president returned it and suggested considering some issues.
A parliament bulletin published on November 22 last year stated that section 45 of the bill might create confusion as penalty for an illegal strike by employees had increased but that for illegal lockdown by employers had not.
At the press conference, the state minister announced names of the 29 factories that have been nominated for 鈥楪reen Factory Award-2023鈥� for their workplace safety compliance and good practices.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury will hand over the award to the companies nominated from 12 sectors at a programme to be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city today.
The state minister for labour informed that his ministry was working to develop a database of workers and establish employment department.
He said that, after establishing the employment department, no unskilled worker would be sent abroad.
Inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments Abdur Rahim Khan said that they were working for proper implementation of the labour laws.
He informed that there were 2.18 lakh unregistered factories and establishments across the country while 81,304 were registered with the DIFE.
Rahim also said that, in the financial year 2022-23, the DIFE issued fresh licences to 10,205 factories and establishments while it renewed that of 31,338.
Of the 29 factories, the 14 units nominated from textile and readymade garment sector are 鈥� AR Jeans Producers Limited, Mahmuda Attires Limited, Evitex Dress Shirt Limited, Designer Fashion聽 Limited, Southern Garments Limited, Pakiza Knit Composite Limited, Epyllion Knitwears Limited, Laila Style Limited, GMS Textile Limited, Genesis Fashions Limited, Auko Tex Limited, Four H Dyeing and Printing Limited, Envoy Textiles Limited and Pahartali Textile and Hosiery Mills.
Mirzapur Tea Garden, Chatlapur Tea Factory, Zareen Tea Garden, Gazipur Tea Garden will be awarded from tea sector.
Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Limited, Apex Footwear Limited, and FB Footwear Limited will be awarded from leather (finished goods) sector while SAF Industries Limited will receive the recognition under leather (tannery) sector.
The rest of the factories are LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Limited, Heidelberg Cement Bangladesh Limited, Banga Building Materials Limited, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited, Shinepukur Ceramics Limited, Walton Hi-Tech Industries and Akij Food and Beverage Limited.
