Staff Reporter:
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the government will not spare anyone who would deprive workers of their fair wages and dues in spite of that person’s international recognition.
“If anyone deprives our workers of their fair wages, we shall not spare them no matter how big they are and internationally recognised ,” she warned.
The prime minister was addressing a programme marking the Great May Day on Wednesday at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Dhaka.
She categorically said that the dues of the workers must be paid properly and their welfare has to be looked after.
She, however, did not mention anyone’s name when she spoke of powerful individuals or internationally recognised person.
Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus has recently been facing several charges of violating labour laws.
On September 9, 2021, a case was filed by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment against Yunus and three others for violating labour laws.
According to case files, the department noticed several labour law violations during an inspection at Grameen Telecom.
The violations include failure to make the jobs of 101 workers and employees permanent, not forming a workers’ participation fund and welfare fund, and failing to provide 5 percent of the company’s dividend to workers.
Dr Yunus was facing more than 100 other charges over labour law violations and alleged graft.
On January 1 this year, a Dhaka court sentenced him, and three others to six months in jail over labour law violations.
Dhaka Labour Court 3 judge Sheikh Marina Sultana announced the verdict and later granted them bail after they filed separate petitions.
The court also fined them Tk5,000 under one section and Tk25,000 under another, in default of which they would have to spend an additional 10 and 15 days in prison.
State Minister for the Labour and Employment Ministry Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and Employment Ministry HM Ibrahim, Country Director of International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen, President of Bangladesh Employers’ Federation Ardashir Kabir, Jatiya Sramik League president Noor Qutub Alam Mannan and Labour and Employment secretary M Mahbub Hossain also spoke at the event.
A video documentary on the May Day was screened at the function.
Cheques were distributed among the destitute workers from the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation during the programme.
A colourful cultural function performed by the workers was also held.
