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Fixing national minimum wage, relaxing the conditions on organising trade union and creating government database on labour are in a comprehensive package of must-haves suggested by a panel for uplift of the economy's lifeline.
The Labour Reform Commission (LRC) has also suggested establishing a permanent Labour Reform Commission, making an emergency fund for the labourers and ensuring the transparency and accountability of the central fund of Bangladesh Labour Welfare Foundation.
The LRC presented its recommendations at a press conference held at the Shram Bhaban in Dhaka's Bijoyngar on Monday after it had submitted the report to Chief Adviser of the interim government Prof Muhammad Yunus at the state guesthouse Jamuna.
Chief of the LRC and Executive Director of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed briefed the media about their proposals. Among the commission members present was Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka (MCCI) President Kamran T. Rahman.
The commission recommends comprehensive legal protection for all workers in the country-formal, informal, agricultural, household, migrants, and self-employed ones.
Underscoring the need for enhancing the wage-fixing mechanism, boosting board capacity, the LRC suggests instituting a permanent Wage Commission.
The commission also suggests increasing and defining a dignified standard of wage through evaluation of the sectoral and national wages every three years.
Highlighting the need for forming a national workforce-registration system and database, the commission says measures should be taken for state recognition of labourers, providing them with identity cards and registration in a bid to ensure occupational, legal and social security for all workers, including informal and self-employed ones.
The commission also underscores the need for undertaking measures for employment generation and skill development for the wage-earners.
Providing all women workers with six-month fully-paid maternity leave as well as checking all sorts of harassment, including sexual offence, is also in a package of dos prescribed by the panel for the uplift of the vital sector of economy.
Speaking on the occasion, Sultan Uddin Ahmed said there were indiscrimination and insecurity everywhere from household to marine-fishing sector due to the unavailability of a labour- registration system.
"Most workers in Bangladesh do not have any sort of registration, identification and appointment," he told the journalists, adding that this is essential for a worker to begin bargain for their rights.
Regarding trade union-a much-talked-about issue among wider circles at home and abroad---he said they suggested introducing proportional system.
He said the reform proposals are based on eight fundamental issues: recognition, rightful wages, security, social welfare, right to bargain, dispute settlement, equality, and forced labour.
The interim government formed the 10-member Labour Reform Commission in November last year, as part of what goes for state rebuilding in line with spirit of the August-5th 2024 mass uprising that brought about a political changeover.
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