TUs in EPZ allowed

The government has approved in principle the draft of the ‘Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Labour Act 2014,’incorporating the provision of right to form trade unions for workers.
The approval for the draft came at a regular meeting of Cabinet held at Secretariat with Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the proposed law was drafted keeping consistency with the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2013 along with maintaining all the existing facilities of the workers employed in the EPZs.
“Once the law is passed, the EPZ workers will be able to form associations which will give them the scope for collective bargaining, he said, adding, “The name of such committees will be ‘Workers Welfare Associations”.
He also said, the proposed law has been prepared in consultation with all stake holders, including the owners of the industries located at the EPZs.
The cabinet secretary said the necessity of the law has arisen as there is no law for the workers of the EPZs at present. “Their services are now regulated by two sets of guidelines,” he said.
Against this backdrop, the proposed law has been drafted as a clear and comprehensive law to ensure various facilities to the workers, including their wages and its payment, working hours and leave, security, working environment, protection of their health
and rights of compensation in case of injury.
Under the proposed law, the workers will elect the leaders of the committees through an election every year, added the Cabinet Secretary. Bhuiyan also said, there are 16 chapters in the draft law.
A special committee formed by the Prime Minister’s Office prepared the draft after discussing with the owners, workers and other stakeholders in EPZs.
The Export Promotion Bureau Act 2014 and Nuclear Energy Control Act (amendment) 2014 also got final approval in the cabinet meeting.