The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Thursday urged the owners to ensure fair wages of workers, timely payment, well-defined work-hours and safe and healthy working environment.

He made the call while addressing a state function marking the May Day 2008 and inaugurating May Day Fair organised at Osmani Memorial auditorium by Labour and Employment Ministry.

The CA expressed his firm expectation that the country would be able to attain an accountable, just, sustainable state system with the unqualified support and active cooperation of civil-military administration and the countrymen.

He made a clarion call for all irrespective of party and opinion to work together to establish a progressive, welfare, meaningful democratic state to materialise the expectation of the mass people and dream of the great Liberation War.

A total of 44 institutions are participating in the 3-day May Day Fair 2008, arranged to add productive festivity to the May Day celebrations.

The CA also unwrapped the cover of multimedia documentation titled 'Made in Bangladesh' prepared by BGMEA and the Labour and Employment Ministry to project country's world-class products in the outer world.

Labour and Employment Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal, Director of ILO area office Dhaka Panudda Boonpala, president of Bangladesh Employers Federation Kamran T Rahman as representative of the owners, Umme Salma Parveen as representative of workers and Labour Director Shyamol Kanti Ghosh also spoke at the function presided over by Mahfujul Huq, acting secretary to the Labour and Employment Ministry.

Workers and owners, chiefs of the three services, distinguished personalities and senior civil and military officials were present at the function. The Chief Adviser observed that in a labour-intensive populous country like Bangladesh improvement of the nation's fate is largely interlinked with change of fortune of the working-class people. So the government is giving highest priority, to ensuring basic rights of the working people in all spheres.

He said, in fact, it is impracticable to keep the wheels of development moving without ensuring the just interests and welfare of those who are putting direct contribution in production and development.

"So, the government is working to expand the scope of labour welfare as major precondition for advancement of industrialisation," he told the meet.

On readymade garment industry, the highest export earner for the country, the CA noted that recent incidents of labour unrest and chaos in the sector gave rise to question in the external world about the image of the country and owners' attitude to workers.

In this context, the head of interim government categorically said that there should be no scope for excuses in full implementation of the tripartite agreement among the government, owners and workers.

He said the government is making out all-out effort to ensure child labour-and discrimination-free environment friendly to 'decent work' apart from ensuring health and security of workers at workplace.

Dr Fakhruddin said the government is giving compliance issue in garment sector highest priority and he directed the Labour Ministry to be more active and responsible in ensuring compliance properly in each factory.

He noted that a healthy worker community is a big national wealth of the country and one of the main focal points to attract local and foreign investment. This labour force will have to be involved in the mainstream of development.

Terming workers and owners as complementary to each other, he said it is essential to maintain mutual respect and cordiality between workers and owners by any means for development of industry-factory, trade and commerce and increased production.

He said the total matter of maintaining peace and stability in industrial enterprises and labour unrest should be seen and analysed with positive attitude and "all should come out from the culture of exchanging blames".

On behalf of government, businessmen, industrialists and workers, the CA requested all concerned to carry out responsibility maintaining discipline, honesty, sincerity and intimacy in everybody's respective sphere to further smoothen the path of advances in the competitive world.

On trade union, he said the role of effective, strong and well-disciplined trade union organisation is undeniable in establishing permanent peace and good industrial relations.

He called upon the leaders of trade unions to take wisely more realistic activities evaluating national and international situations for the country's industrialisation and attaining the rights of workers.

Mentioning the country's time-worthy Labour Law and close monitoring of its implementation, he said one's right cannot be ensured only by formulating laws, and rules and regulations or by the single effort of the government-it needs confidence and respect to law by all concerned and commitment of all for its application.