The Cabinet on Monday gave the final approval to the draft of the ‘The Bangladesh EPZ Labour Law, 2016′ keeping a provision for constituting labour organisations in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) as well as forming a permanent wage board for their workers, reports UNB. The approval came at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat today with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the law is going to be framed in light of the existing Labour Law 2006. “It’s consistent with the central bargaining agent (CBA) and trade union,” Alam said. Under the proposed law, he said, the family members of a worker will get compensation of Tk 2 lakh if he or she dies while on duty, and Tk 2.25 lakh has been fixed for any worker for his or her ‘permanent’ or ‘complete’ disability. The Cabinet Secretary said a committee was earlier formed to frame this law in line with the Bangladesh Labour Law, 2006. Following the recommendations of the committee, he said, a draft was prepared and it was shared with all the stakeholders concerned, including representatives of Shramik Kalyan Samity, investors and various international agencies. “The proposed law having 16 chapters and 202 sections is more or less inclusive and it is an integrated law,” Alam said. He said the advantages of the draft law include financial facility for workers, their retirement benefits, mandatory group insurance, compensation in case of deaths, cash payment for earned leave, paying full salary as festival bonus and maternity leave for 16 weeks. Alam said the law has a provision for forming a 12-member permanent wage board comprising the representatives from workers and investors as well as representative from a neutral source. “The Executive Chairman of BEPZA will act as the chief of the permanent wage board for fixing the minimum wages for the workers,” he said. For ensuring the right to forming labour organisations and operating its activities in the EPZs, he said such organisations in the EPZs will be named as Sramik Kalyan Samity, which has no difference with other trade unions.
