SKOP for withdrawal Essential Services Bill

Staff Reporter :
Leaders of Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) have called on the government to withdraw the Essential Services Bill 2023.

“The government had placed the bill in the parliament to stop movements by the labour rights bodies in favour of their demands. The bill would curb the workers’ rights to call a strike,” Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal President Anwar Hossain said while addressing a rally in front of the National Press Club in the capital on Saturday.

SKOP – a platform of 14 labour rights bodies – organised the event to press home their demand to cancel the bill which was placed in Jatiya Sangsad on April 6.

Joint-Convener of the organisation Abdul Kader Hawlader chaired the programme.

Bangladesh Trade Union Sangha president Chowdhury Ashikul Alam said that according to the labour law workers had rights to call strike in favour of their demands.

Abdul Kader Hawlader asked the government to withdraw the bill immediately.
He warned of waging a tougher agitation including strike to compel the government to withdraw the bill.
The SKOP will hold a view exchange programme with others labour rights organisations on May 27 to finalise its next course of actions, he said.

The rally was followed by a protest procession that paraded through different city roads.
Labour leaders Mahbubul Alam, Razequzzaman Ratan, Saifuzzaman Badsha, Naimul Ahsan Jewel, Quamrul Ahsan, Badal Khan, Shamim Ara and others also gave speeches at the event.