Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday directed the authorities concerned to introduce welfare association-type bodies for workers in export processing zones (EPZs) following the structures of European Union countries or other developed nations.“Countries, which have been pressing the government for introducing unionism, have no trade unions. They have welfare association- like bodies or associations with other names.You should look into whether you can introduce such organisations with other names,” said a minister quoting the premier.The premier gave to directive while discussing the EPZ law during a regular weekly cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat.Sources said the EPZ law has been sent to the parliamentary standing committee concerned for further scrutiny.Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Law Minister Anisul Haq and State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu requested the standing committee to send back the draft law to the cabinet to make it more time-befitting taking the opinions of international organisations.The issue was discussed after the ministers apprised the cabinet of the matter. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the cabinet meeting.Taking part in the discussion, the premier said where from they would get garments if they do not buy our products. “There is no reason to worry about it,” she said.Sources said the issue of Rana Plaza collapse also came up for discussion.Chunnu said the families of the victims and injured persons got financial assistance of Tk 285 crore from the International Labour Organisation, Prime Minister’s Office, labour and employment ministry and BGMEA.On the issue, the premier said she knew the matter. “I have all the accounts.”The meeting also discussed the issue of death of fish and uranium in the water of the Haors, which were flooded due to recent flash flood.Taking the floor, some ministers said media reported that uranium has been available in Haor water.Terming it ‘a good news’, they suggested that the government should preserve the precious item.But the premier was critical of the media report on the death of fish in large scale in Haor areas.“Media reported that tonnes of fish died at Haor. How was it measured? Who and how do they measure it?” she posed questions.Emerging from the meeting, cabinet secretary Shafiul Alam told reporters that the cabinet asked the ministries concerned to provide enough relief to the victims in the haor region.He said the premier also directed the ministers to put the rehabilitation and relief activities of the government under huge coverage.“Ministries concerned have been asked to become more active in distributing relief and rehabilitation programme,” he said.“Everything has been done to satisfy the victims. The relief and disaster affairs ministry has already made an action plan and is carrying out its activities,” he added.There are allegations that crops went under water due to huge corruption in constructing embankments in haor areas.Responding to a question whether the cabinet discussed the issue of construction of dam, the cabinet secretary said, “There was no discussion about it.”He said other issues, whether the affected people are getting relief or not, were discussed.“The observation is that enough relief materials have already reached the affected areas. People feel that the relief and disaster affairs ministry has taken a move,” he said, adding that the premier directed all to bring such activities under coverage.The government has already announced providing 30 kilograms rice along with Tk 500 per month to 3.30 lakh victims.Besides, the cabinet also approved a draft of Fisheries Quarantine Act, 2017, restricting import of any fish, fish goods, related microorganisms or packaging of fish items without licence and prior government permission.“The new law will control the contraband fish species and damaging or pernicious bacteria which accompany the various types of imported fishes and fish fries,” Alam said.He said the draft law was part of the government initiative to protect the growing fisheries from destructive alien elements.“The law would empower the government to impose restriction on import of any particular species of fish or fish items in public interest,” the cabinet secretary said.The new law would be a safeguard to prevent import of fish species like Piranha, African Magur and other fishes while their production, breeding, marketing, sale and transport, however, were prohibited in the country.The quarantine stations would be set up in seaports, land ports or airports of the country.Violation of the law would be treated as a non-cognizable offense and one could be exposed to two years of imprisonment and penalty of Tk five lakh or both for its defiance.
