Finance minister's comment on trade union condemned

Leaders of Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) in a statement on Wednesday condemned the comment of Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith on halting the activities of trade union.
The leaders said that through the negative statement his ignorance about trade union activities has become clear.
Terming his speech 'unexpected', the leaders also said that according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention, trade union activities is important to establish a healthy relationship between the workers and the owners.
The purpose of the trade union is also to increase productivity through ensuring the workers' rights, the leaders said, adding that if any unwanted incident takes place at a particular establishment, trade union cannot be blamed grossly for that.
A vested quarter with the support of the government and the authorities who always try to serve their own interest are responsible for that, they added.
The statement also said that trade union should work on its own way without any intervention from the government or from the parties.
Signatories to the statement include President of Jatiya Sramik League Abdul Matin Master, President of Jatiya Sramik Federation Bangladesh Abul Bashar, Dr Wazedul Islam Khan of Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra, Abdullah Sarkar of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Abdul Kader Hawladar of Jatiya Sramik Jote Bangladesh, Mesbah Uddin Ahmed of Jatiya Sramik Jote and Chowdhury Ashikul Alam of Trade Union Sangha.
They also urged the government to refrain from such speech that goes against their election manifesto.