Be more humane to workers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits a stall at the May Day fair at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city on Friday. Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday called upon the industrialists to be humane to the workers and meet their fundamental needs, and requested the labourers not to create any anarchy destroying the country's exports.
“I request the garment owners to be more humane to the workers who should also be patient and solve all problems through discussions so that the export-oriented industry is not affected during global economic recession,” she said at a May Day discussion, greeting the workers at home and abroad on the historic day.
This year the theme of May Day was 'Let us workers and owners- unite and try to change days'.
At the programme organised by the labour and employment ministry at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital, the prime minister said the government would gradually open all the closed mills to increase productivity and create employments.
Hasina announced that the government would increase retirement age of factory workers from 57 to 60 and ensure their wages in line with market prices and set up dormitories for the garment workers and arrange rationing system for them.
She also assured that the government would do everything possible to ensure that people do not suffer for food.
“The rich are rich because of the workers' toil. So the industrialists should be attentive to the needs of the workers, and education and healthcare of their children,” the prime minister reminded.
She also urged the workers to remember that they live on the industries saying, “I request both the labourers and the industrialists to create a congenial work environment so that we can prosper together.”
“We want to reach our goal of change through industrialisation, employment, workers' welfare and increase in production,” the premier said, adding that the global economic recession has some opportunities, which must be utilised to face the downturn.
The present government believes that agriculture and industry are the keys to economic development of the country where farmers and workers play the major role, she said.
“Therefore, it is not possible to keep the development wheel running unless the welfare of those contributing directly to production and development is ensured, especially in this competitive world,” Hasina added.
She said the government is soon going to declare a new industrial policy under which the closed mills will be opened and operated either by the government or on the basis of public-private partnership.
Criticising that many mills, including the Adamjee Jute Mills, were closed by the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, Hasina said, “We have decided to establish economic zones in different areas of the country on the basis of local resources.”
Referring to the pledge that the government would arrange employments of at least one from each family, she said the government is working to that end.
She also sought cooperation of all in this regard.
Stating that the government would give highest priority to agriculture and industry in the next budget, the premier said it would increase fertiliser subsidy, ease its distribution, and reduce fuel price for irrigation.
Turning to migrant workers, Hasina said the government is very aware of their problems and taking necessary measures to solve them.
Many of the migrant workers are unskilled, she said, adding that the expatriates' welfare ministry will take steps to train more people for employments abroad.
Hasina mentioned that her visit to Saudi Arabia and the visits of expatriates' welfare minister and foreign minister to Malaysia have solved many problems of the Bangladeshi workers in those countries.
Labour and Employment Minister Khandaker Musharraf Hossain said it was imperative to strengthen unity between the workers and industrialists to face the challenges emerging from global economic recession.
State Minister for labour ministry Monnujan Sufian said it is important to maintain standard of products and development of infrastructures for the improvement of industries.
All should work together for it, she added.
ILO Director in Dhaka Panudda Boonpala, Bangladesh Employers' Federation President Kamran T Chowdhury, and Jatiya Sramik League President Abdul Matin Master also spoke at the discussion presided over by Secretary-in-charge of labour ministry Ataharul Islam.
After the discussion and a cultural function, the prime minister inaugurated a three-day May Day Fair at the Osmani Memorial Hall.