Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 873 Sat. November 11, 2006  
   
Metropolitan


Skop demands EC reforms


Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (Skop) yesterday urged the President and Chief Adviser to the caretaker government to bring reforms to the Election Commission (EC) by removing all the 'controversial' election commissioners, including the Chief Election Commissioner, to make the EC independent and acceptable to all political parties.

They also called upon the President to appoint neutral persons in the administration by cancelling all the contractual appointments.

At a press conference in the city, the Skop leaders said the BNP-Jamaat government unilaterally formulated a labour law that ignored different labour rights, including the right to form trade union.

Reading out a written statement, Delwar Hossain, general secretary of Bangladesh Labour Federation, said the BNP-led four-party alliance incorporated some 'black sections' into the labour law.

He urged the authorities to formulate a democratic labour law by repealing the 'black sections', provide 30 percent dearness allowance for all workers and declare a national minimum wage.

The Skop leaders alleged that some garment owners are still filing false cases against the workers, violating the tripartite agreement signed between the government, owners and workers.

Wazedul Islam Khan, general secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra, Shafiqur Rahman, president of Jatiya Sramik Federation, Abdul Kader Hawlader, president of Jatiya Sramik Jote, Bangladesh, Abdul Matin Master, president of Jatiya Sramik League, and Shafiuddin Ahmed, general secretary of Jatiya Sramik Federation, were also present.