EPZs may get trade unions; draft law approved

The cabinet today gave the final approval to the draft of the ‘The Bangladesh EPZ Labour Law, 2016’ keeping a provision for constituting labour organisations in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) as well as forming a permanent wage board for their workers.

The approval came at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat today with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said the law is going to be framed in light of the existing Labour Law 2006. "It's consistent with the central bargaining agent (CBA) and trade union," Alam said.

Under the proposed law, he said, the family members of a worker will get compensation of Tk 2 lakh if he or she dies while on duty, and Tk 2.25 lakh has been fixed for any worker for his or her ‘permanent’ or ‘complete’ disability.

The Cabinet Secretary said the meeting was apprised of the participation of the Foreign Minister in an extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers held at the OIC Secretariat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on January 21 and the visit of the Planning Minister to Japan on November 19-20.

Besides, he said, the tour of a Bangladesh delegation, led by the Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister to Qatar on February 3-5 and the visit of the State Minister for Post and Telecommunication to Singapore and Malaysia on January 12-23 were apprised.

Ministers and state ministers and secretaries concerned were present at the meeting.