Reducing inequality is a challenge: Inu

Inequality is rising alongside economic growth in the industrial sector and the government's major challenge is to reduce inequality, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said yesterday.

The government will have to ensure development for the industry workers to remove inequality while trade unions have to be more active to bring good governance in the garment sector, he added.

Collective bargaining associations can ensure workers' rights through negotiations with factory owners, he said at the launch of Workers Resource Centre (WRC), in the capital's Cirdap auditorium.

The WRC aims to build capacity of trade unions in garment sector.

The jobless rate is increasing in Bangladesh due to automation and robotic technology, State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque said.

Two leading workers' rights organisations—the National Coordination Committee on Workers Education and the IndustriALL

Bangladesh Council—jointly formed the WRC with support from International Labour Organisation's Social Dialogue and Harmonious Industrial Relations project, funded by Sweden and Denmark.

The WRC will provide advocacy services, raise awareness and build capacity on workers' rights and dispute resolution.

A team of legal advisors will aid trade unions and federations in addressing labour disputes.

One main objective of the centre is to grow professionalism of trade unions by providing training to union members and workers.

The WRC office has been established in Tongi, a garments hub close to Dhaka, where trade union's trainings, meetings and conferences will be held.