The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The draft of amendment to the Labour Laws has been almost finalised with provisions that would discourage trade unions to become the front organisations of any political party and allowing single union in each of the establishment.

Disclosing this after a tri-partite meeting among the leaders of trade unions, owners associations and government, Adviser for Labour and Employment Ministry M Anwarul Iqbal told reporters that trade union leaders also do not want to become front organisation of political parties.

The Adviser, who presided over the meeting, said a seven-member committee, headed by Secretary of Labour and Employment Dr Mahfuzul Haque, has been formed comprising leaders from trade unions, owners associations and government to discuss all related matters and submit its report within seven days.

Md Millat Hossain, General Secretary of Central Committee of Bangladesh Inter-District Truck Driver Union, told The New Nation that a seven member sub-committee involving members from trade unions, owners associations and government representatives has been formed to discuss the proposals which were brought in the draft amendment of labour laws.

After through discussion among the leaders concerned, the committee will submit its recommendations within seven days, he said.

Millat Hossain, who is also a member of the 61-member tri-partite committee headed by the Adviser, said he has proposed that trade unions should not to be front organisations of political parties.

"We do not want to be front organisations of political parties since the workers were deprived from many of their rights due to political interference in trade union activities," he said.