The head of the committee in charge of creating a white paper on Bangladesh’s economic situation, Debapriya Bhattacharya, voiced worries on Monday about the insufficient rights and safeguards that the working class in the nation has.
During a meeting with labour leaders at the Planning Commission’s Nazia-Salma conference room, Bhattacharya stressed that salaries for workers are still inadequate and do not adequately reflect the nation’s ten-year development.
According to Bhattacharya, “Labour leaders have highlighted that the wages provided to workers in Bangladesh are inadequate,” highlighting the need for stronger social protections including maternity leave and better housing options.
He added that important steps, such creating a future fund for labour welfare, have not yet been appropriately carried out. In his critique of trade unions’ ineffective support of workers’ rights, Bhattacharya said, “No adequate initiatives have been taken to reopen industries and factories that have been closed, which suggests a violation of government policy influenced by vested interests.”
The economist emphasised that Bangladesh’s labour regulations are out of compliance with international standards, which leads to ongoing violations of workers’ rights, and he highlighted the difficulties workers confront in the rising economy powered by artificial intelligence and information technology.
Bhattacharya stated that in order to comprehend the goals and difficulties faced by young entrepreneurs, the white paper committee had conversations with them. “In order to allay any concerns regarding the data, we started by speaking with officials from several government departments. We are now having talks with social groups,” he stated, adding that plans are already in motion for town hall gatherings in Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Sylhet, as well as more negotiations with labour leaders and business owners.
The 12-member committee, chaired by Bhattacharya, was established by the Government on 28th August in order to produce a comprehensive white paper that will include strategic recommendations for stabilising the economy, accomplishing sustainable development objectives, and tackling the difficulties Bangladesh faces as it moves from being a least developed to a middle-income country.
