Govt to analyse impact on allowing trade union in EPZs

The government plans to do a comprehensive impact analysis on allowing trade unions in the export processing zones (EPZs), Labour and Employment Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman said today.

"We have discussed this in detail with the chief adviser. We will commission an impact analysis by a third-party. We need to understand the socio-economic conditions," he said.

The labour secretary shared the information with journalists after a meeting with a US delegation at the labour and employment ministry.

He said EPZ workers currently receive more benefits than their peers working outside the economic zones. 

So, there is a concern about unifying these two types of workers under a single labour law.

Shafiquzzaman, however, has not ruled out making a single law for EPZs in order to allow them to form independent unions in the enclaves.

EPZs operate under a separate law and foreign investors in these zones invest there under that law, which makes bringing sudden legal changes challenging, he said. 

"We need an impact analysis before moving to a single law. We've sought technical support from them (US) for this initiative," he added.

"We want to work with them and they also want to work with us."

Shafiquzzaman emphasised efforts to rebuild stakeholder confidence to address concerns about transparency and trust. 

"There was a significant decline in trust, but I am committed to restoring it through transparent operations," he said.