Festival allowance compulsory, accidental compensation double

The cabinet has approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Labor Act (Amendment) 2018 bringing some changes including keeping provision of festival allowance compulsory for the workers and double compensation for accidental cause.

The draft was approved on Monday in the cabinet meeting at the secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair with some important changes in the labor issues.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed the newsmen after the meeting.

He said, a number of changes were brought in the revised labor act. Of these there are, making festival allowance compulsory for the workers; teenagers can perform work but children cannot; double compensation should be paid if anybody is killed in accident.

The labor act of 2006 is active in Bangladesh. It was a matter of much discussion that following demand of different labor organizations and workers associations the labor act was amended in 2013 but that was not appropriate.

Following that International Labor Organization (ILO), European Union (EU), international buyers’ alliance and different local and international labor organizations demanded to amend the labor act again.

Bangladesh government held discussions with local and international stake holders in this regard. Then the draft labor act was sent to ILO. Considering the observations of ILO a tripartite committee consisting owners, workers and government representatives finalized the draft.

Under the conventional law there are provisions to provide one lakh taka compensation to the successor due to accidental death and one lakh 25 thousand taka compensation for the permanent disabled person caused by accident.

In the new act the compensations are being made two lakh taka for accidental death and two lakh 50 thousand taka for the permanent disabled person caused by accident.

According to the new act, certain person will be fined five thousand taka for employing child laborer. Teenagers from 14 years to 18 years will be able to do light work. Earlier children from 12 years were able to take the opportunity.

Trade union was also mentioned in the proposed act. Earlier to do trade union approval of 30 percent workers was needed. It was decreased to 20 percent at present. Earlier to call strike it was needed to take opinion of two-third members. It was decreased to 51 percent at present.

To solve cases the time was fixed in the labor court. According to the proposed act verdict should be given within 90 days. If the verdict delivery is not possible within 90 days than it must be given within the next 90 days.

The proposed act also directs to ensure maternity welfare facility. Legal action will be taken if it defers.

In the proposed act punishment for owners and workers for misbehave was also reduced. The punishment was made one year instead of two years.

AH