The New Nation - Internet Edition

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman said on Saturday that the caretaker government would take all necessary steps to ensure that labour laws were implemented in the shrimp industry.

"This (compliance with labour laws) is an essential instrument to get access to the global market," Rahman told a seminar on labour issues in the shrimp processing industry. The adviser said the government and other stakeholders were taking a 'proactive and problem-solving approach' towards the issue.

"Bangladesh has embarked on a very important journey to improve the standard of livelihoods of workers and other citizens of the country," he said. Rahman stressed the need for accelerating the ongoing monitoring of employers' compliance with labour laws, calling for a "credible body of evidence" within the area that would build confidence in all stakeholders. Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) and Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) jointly organised the seminar.

David J Welsh, country director of the American Centre for International Labour Solidarity, said progress in the area of labour-related issues had been quite impressive, although he called for stricter measures in the future to ensure greater compliance in all domestic industries. Welsh made it clear that he did not support any boycott of Bangladeshi products. "We are in no way for a boycott, rather we are advocating for labour compliance issues for the greater global acceptance of Bangladeshi products," he said.

In his keynote presentation, Dr Mahmudul Karim, executive director of the BSFF, said the organisation had reached a decision with the frozen food exporters that the BFFEA would notify that all plants under their purview would have to comply with labour laws.

Dr Karim said areas of concern included child labour issues, the provision of complaint boxes, and access for labour rights bodies to assess workplace conditions. Panuddha Bonpala, director of the International Labour Organisation's Bangladesh chapter, laid importance on providing children with access to education to put an end to child labour. "Children should be provided with the right opportunities such as formal and informal education as well as vocational education," she said.

Acting Labour and Employment Secretary Mahfuzul Haque said anyone found violating labour laws would face dire consequences.

"I would like to say this very clearly: violators of the labour act will not go unpunished," he said. Haque added that his ministry had taken an initiative to impart training to labour inspectors to ensure strict adherence to the law.