Dhaka:Minister of Labour and Employment Ariful Haque Chowdhury announced that the gazette for the formation of a Wage Board for the garment sector will be issued within two days of receiving the workers' nominees.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the announcement was made during a press briefing on labour unrest and the wage board at the CIRDAP International Conference Centre. The Minister stated that the government and employers have already submitted their representatives' names for the wage board and are awaiting nominees from the workers. He urged labour leaders to nominate their representatives within the next week.
The Minister emphasized that the gazette would be issued promptly after receiving the workers' nominees, barring any public holidays. He also urged employers to ensure the payment of outstanding wages and mentioned that the government would assist factory owners in addressing unpaid wages promptly.
Furthermore, Ariful Haque Chowdhury stressed the importance of cooperation between workers, employers, and the government to resolve labour unrest. He advised that factory issues should be dealt with internally, with support from labour unions, employers' associations, and the government. He also urged workers to avoid street protests and called on government agencies to prevent external parties from inciting chaos.
Highlighting the need to protect the interests of both workers and employers while maintaining industrial operations, the Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to the welfare of workers. He expressed optimism that responsible actions from all stakeholders following tripartite meetings would help resolve labour unrest.
The session was moderated by Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Md Abdur Rahman Tarafder, with speeches from representatives of both employers and workers.