Textiles and jute minister Abdul Latif Siddique on Monday expressed surprise over the US Ambassador, Dan Mozena’s reported call to the garments entrepreneurs to allow trade union in their factories and said that such comment might be termed as “obtrusive, tormenting and provocative” to the government. Being informed of the US Ambassador’s comments made at a discussion meeting organised by the parliamentary committee on labour and employment ministry on Saturday, the minister wrote a letter to the US Ambassador expressing his reaction to the envoy’s remark.
“I am really surprised and at a loss to understand whether creating such pressure on the RMG owners for opening trade unions in their factories conforms to diplomatic etiquette and status.
Rather his comments may be considered as obtrusive, tormenting and provocative to the government of the host country,” the minister said in the letter. The textile minister mentioned that having or not having trade union is essentially an internal issue of the country.”
“The government is actively considering the issue of allowing labour welfare committees of combined bargain agent (CBA) at RMG factories, and a bill for amending the Labour Act 2006 to this effect is now underway and the US Embassy in Dhaka has been informed of this issue,” the minister said
The minister also wanted to know the number of US states which currently allow trade union rights to the workers.
“If the reports published in the newspaper regarding your speech is not true then please clarify your position on this to remove confusion on the issue,” the minister added.
-With The Independent input
