PM asks officials to ensure the rights of domestic workers

She asked the authorities concerned to take effective measures to incorporate the rights of formation of Workers' Welfare Association in the form of trade union in the Export Processing Zones.

"You have to ensure their training, wages, working atmosphere, safety and security," she said while addressing the officials and employees of the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) during her visit to the ministry at Bangladesh Secretariat here today.

The Prime Minister said, the government is relentlessly working for the welfare of the working people. "It's the responsibility of the government to execute all necessary laws relating to workers' welfare to establish justice in this particular area," she added.

Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment minister Engineer Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, state minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haq, PM's Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, secretary of the MoLE Mikhail Shipar and senior officials were present.

Sheikh Hasina said, the government is working with an objective of making Bangladesh a middle income country by 2021. The government has asked all ministries and divisions to undertake necessary plan of action to achieve the goal.

"Labour and Employment ministry has to take effective steps in this regard," she said adding that her government always considered the issue of wage hike of the labourers very passionately.

In this regard, the Prime Minister pointed out her government's initiative for raising the wages of the garment workers saying that her government increased the wages of garment workers 82 percent in 2010.

"Within three years their wages were increased by 77 percent making the minimum wages at Taka 5,300," she said adding, "there is no example of raising workers wages within three years even in any developed country."

Sheikh Hasina said, the labour law has been revised during the period of her government to make it befitting for workers welfare. "Institutional measures were also taken for improving the relation between the workers and employers," she said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, the number of women workers are increasing in the country day by day. "So, their security issue is very important," she said.

Laying importance on training of the women workers, their security and housing, the Prime Minister said every worker should have minimum housing facility.

The government would extend all possible help if any factory wants to introduce ration for their workers, she said adding "It's not acceptable that the riches would be richer while the poor would go poorer."

Expressing her government's firm pledge to eliminate the child labour from the country, the Prime Minister said the programme, launched during past tenure of her government, is still continuing.

Sheikh Hasina said, a National Skill Development Council has been constituted to enhance the working capacity of the country's human resources. "Curriculums of different training and academic programmes are being prepared in coordination with the ministries and divisions," she said.

The Prime Minister said, the government has taken a long term project for establishing a "garments village' at Baosia of Gazaria upazila under Munshiganj district. "It will reduce the number of the non-compliance garment factories and fire and other incidents in industries," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said, with the support of ILO a tripartite National Working Plan comprising the representatives of the workers, factory owners and labour ministry has been prepared to check accident and fire incidents in garment factories. "ILO is providing technical and other supports to execute the national plan," she said.

The Prime Minister said, the government is working for making necessary law for protection of the domestic helps and their welfare. "A policy is being prepared in this regard," she added.