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Nearly Tk 10 billion from the Labour Welfare Fund remains stuck in banks facing financial crunch in recent times, posing difficulties to tame the recent labour unrest by injecting funds.
The fund has not been released from the banks to provide at least some relief to labours facing financial challenges. The Labour Welfare Fund has not been operated following the rules for the last 15 years.
Labour Secretary AHM Shafiquzzman revealed this while speaking as chief guest at a mock parliament debate competition organised by Debate for Democracy (DfD) on Saturday on the FDC premises in Dhaka city.
DfD Chairman Hassan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron presided over the debate competition between Tejgoan College and Prime University.
Mr Shafiquzzaman also vowed to end disparities between existing laws for the factories inside and outside of the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) and to introduce trade unions within EPZs.
On the persisting unrest in the apparel export sector, he pointed the finger at the competitor countries aiming at grabbing Bangladesh’s market.
DfD Chairman Mr Kiron said labours have raised their legitimate demands for wages and other benefits but said he cannot support their agitation and vandalism.
Outsiders have joined the labours to create anarchy which may have been instigated by a neighbouring country to drive away Bangladesh’s export orders, he added.
Tejgoan College won the competition on “Political interest is responsible for instability in apparel export.”
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