Dhaka: The amended labour law, which was endorsed by the cabinet, would not ensure rights of working class people as it is tilted towards the owners.

Speakers at a discussion in the capital city on Friday criticised the cabinet-approved amended labour law, which is likely to be passed in the current session of parliament.

The amended law will shrink facilities of the workers instead of increasing, they observed in the roundtable at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

The Bangladesh committee of World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) organized the meeting with the cooperation of six labour organizations.

Justice Syed Amirul Islam attended the discussion meeting titled 'Workers' Interest: Bangladesh Labour Law' as chief guest.

Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, MP, and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) Executive Director Barrister Sara Hossain were present as special guests.

WFTU Convener and Bangladesh Trade Union Centre General Secretary Dr Wazedul Islam presided over the meeting while Jatiya Sramik Jote President Shirin Akhtar, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) Assistant Executive Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Advocate M Nasim and Advocate M Reza Ahmed took part in discussion.

Justice Amirul Islam called for waging a tough movement to get a pro-worker labour law.

He said the labour law of 2006 was not worker-friendly too. But the labour bodies could not take stance against law properly at that time, he added.

He urged the trade unions to come out of politicization and to protect interests of workers.

Rashed Khan Menon said the parliament is under control of industry owners. This parliament will do nothing for the workers. Therefore, the workers will have to wage a movement to realize their demands, he added.

Ends/AMA/12/07/13