The labour reform commission, formed by the interim government, would prioritise rights-based protection for both formal and informal labourers while preparing its proposals to the chief adviser.
Addressing the commission’s maiden press conference at Shrama Bhaban in Dhaka on Thursday, the commission chief, Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, sought support from all stakeholders to build an accountable, humane and dignified labour system for an equity-based and just society in Bangladesh.
The interim government announced a 10-member labour reform commission on November 18.
At the press conference, Sultan said that the commission would prepare its recommendations on reform of labour laws and labour-related institutions, development of a tripartite relationship, freedom to trade unionism, improvement of the industrial relations and bargaining practices, occupational health security, labour justice, employment and job security, wages and standard of compensation, social safety and welfare.
The commission will also give priority to elimination of child labour, safety for adolescent workers and protection of overseas workers, Sultan said.
He said, ‘We will also emphasise protection of the marginalised workers including women, peasants, rural workers, domestic workers, farm-based and seasonal labourers, national minority workers, and workers with disabilities.’
To prepare its recommendations, the commission would review labour rights-related domestic and international laws, conventions and charters, human rights, the environment, international documents on immigration and trade, sustainable development goals, conditions for graduating from the LDC group, and also guidelines of development partners and buyer countries, Sultan told journalists.
The commission members, former bureaucrat Mahfuzul Haque, professor Jakir Hossain, labour leaders Tapan Dutta, Taslima Akhter, lawyer AKM Nasim and industrialist M Kamran T Rahman were present at the press conference while Chowdhury Ashikul Alam and Shakil Akhter Chowdhury attended it virtually.
Talking to journalists, Nasim said that strengthening the labour court and the appellate tribunal would be emphasised in their recommendations to uphold labour justice.
Taslima Akter said that the commission would work on finding solutions to improve industrial relations while protecting labour rights.
At the briefing, the commission chief hinted that the commission would add some other members within a week and start dialogue with stakeholders soon.
