Decisions on labor law amendments to be made at policy-making stage : Anisul

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq today said government had discussion with International Labour Organization (ILO) in detail on each particular issues regarding labour act amendment.

“Our meeting with ILO concluded today. We are going to amend the labour act and ILO wants to give some suggestions in this regard.

They wanted to give us suggestions so that the act, which is going to be amended, becomes more of international standard.

ILO had their say so that the act becomes compliant with suggestions given by ILO’s committee of experts,” he said.

Anisul Huq told these to the newsmen after coming out of his meeting with ILO delegation at the ministry here this afternoon.

A six-member ILO delegation led by its country office Director Tuomo Poutiainen joined the discussion.

Terming the discussion very fruitful, the law minister said that not only the decisions taken through such views exchange are good for the stakeholders-this discussion would remain as an example of international standard.

“We want to keep going forward with the cooperation with the ILO. That is why we mainly exercised the draft of the labour act during last three days’ discussion. They raised some issues that supposed to be in the amendment. Some topics were raised regarding labour act amendment, about which we have to take decision from the policy-making stage.

I have said that it will be decided through discussion at the policy-making stage,” he added.

The law minister further said the committee of experts of the ILO has gone through the labour act and gave some suggestions regarding the international standard.

“We have told them that the act is being amended in line with Bangladesh’s reality and the way Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted to establish and protect labour rights in the country.

So, there must be space for improvement and advancement,” Anisul also said.

The law minister said both the parties have cleared their points at the discussion and both of them understood that.