I listened this morning (July 09) to BBC News at 0730 hrs. The news item that drew my attention most was the one relating to the BBC interview with Jatiyo Garments Sramik Federation General Secretary, Mr. Amirul Haque Amin, on the policy statement on Industrial Police made by the prime minister in the Jatiyo Sangsad on July 08. Mr. Amin told the interviewer that he felt that the proposal of introduction of Industrial Police in the garments sector would not improve the situation, rather he categorically emphasized the need for Participation Committee for bilateral settlement of industrial disputes at workplace and thereby maintaining a good industrial relations atmosphere in the garments sector.
For information of all concerned, I would like to point out in this context that the concept of Participation Committee was thought as a method of mediation to reduce industrial disputes at workplace employing more than 50 workers with joint participation of management and workers' leaders and accordingly the provisions were incorporated in the Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1969 empowering the Director of Labour to ensure proper functioning of the Committee. Bangladesh Labour Law, 2006 has also integrated the same in Chapter- 13( sections : 205-208).
My experience as a Former Director of Labour with more than 31 years of working knowledge in the Department of Labour, I feel I should inform the public in general and the labour -management related people in particular that no tangible action could be taken so far by the department of labour mainly due to the fact that both employers and trade unions are not keen on forming such committees for reasons of their own. While employers think it is an encroachment on their rights and prerogatives, trade unions consider such committees as a sort of parallel organisations which could undermine their effectiveness, and that the functions of such committees impose only duties, obligations and responsibilities on them without any corresponding benefits and voice in management.
Industrial Police, as proposed by the Prime Minister, is definitely a step forward, if it could be made functional towards achieving industrial peace and desired production target in the garments sector.