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RMG
workers’ new wage structure announced
Minimum pay fixed at Tk 3000 per month
UNB, Dhaka
The minimum wage for entry-level workers in the country's
lucrative yet besieged readymade garment (RMG) sector has
been raised to Tk 3000 per month, almost double the
existing Taka 1662.5.
Although news of the increase had been leaked as early as
Tuesday, the government formally revealed the
much-anticipated new wage structure for the sector, fixing
Tk 9300 as the maximum and Tk 3000 as the minimum a worker
can earn in a month. The government announced the new pay
structure will be effective from November 1, 2010. The
government-formulated pay structure stipulates Tk 2500 as
an acceptable wage during any probation period a worker
may have to serve, an increase of more than 108% over the
previous probation period wage of Tk 1200, set in 2006.
Interestingly, although government expressed its optimism
that the new pay scale would be implemented within three
months, the owners of the over 4500 factories in which the
workers are employed were hesitant about committing to the
new pay scale within the given timeframe. Labour and
Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain unveiled
the recommended wage structure at a crowded press
conference in his ministry's conference room, where
representatives of all the parties involved in the wage
board were present. In their initial reactions, BGMEA
President Abdus Salam Murshedy and BKMEA President AKM
Selim Osman both said they would 'try' to implement the
recommended wage structure.
However, FBCCI president AK Azad came out more forcefully
in favour of the rise, saying: "It will have to be
implemented. Those who don't want to implement it should
give up this business and look for a new one." Azad noted
that the decision had been reached through consensus, and
so there should be no impediment to its implementation.
BGMEA president Murshedy said they would soon meet with
the Prime Minister, as they have a number of demands
including uninterrupted supply of gas and electricity for
their factories to operate at fuller capacity, and
improved banking facilities.
Murshedy admitted the new wage rate is 'reasonable' in the
context of the global scenario, he evaded a question on
its implementation, merely saying they would 'try their
best'.
According to the recommended wage structure, a Grade 1
worker will be entitled to Tk 9300 (against the existing
Tk 5140), while a Grade 2 worker will get Tk 7200
(currently Tk 3840); Grade 3 workers will get Tk 4120
(currently Tk 2449); Grade 4 workers Tk 3763 (currently Tk
2250.10); for Grade 5 workers, Tk 3455 (currently Tk
2046); for Grade 6 workers Tk 3210 (currently Tk 1851) and
the lowest Grade 7 workers will get Tk 3000 (against the
current Tk 1662.50). Announcing the new wage structure,
Minister Mosharraf said the workers would be availing the
benefit from November 1.
Jamaat
quartet to be produced before Int’l Crimes Tribunal on Aug
2
UNB, Dhaka
The International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday issued a
production warrant to the Dhaka central jail authorities
ordering the four Jamaat-e-Islami leaders already detained
to be produced before it on August 2.
All four, who form the Jamaat's top brass, face charges of
crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
Jamaat ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali
Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid and two senior assistant
secretaries general Muhammad Qamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader
Mollah are accused of war crimes. They are facing charges
under section 3(2) of the International Crimes Tribunal
Act 1973 for genocide, murder, rape, torture, loot and
arson perpetrated during the war.
The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Nizamul Huq
issued the order after the Dhaka Metropolitan Police
Commissioner, in compliance with the court's earlier
order, submitted a report to the tribunal.
The report stated that as the quartet are already detained
in other cases, the arrest warrants issued by the tribunal
were not executed, as stated by the tribunal's
spokesperson while talking to UNB.
The Inspector General (prisons) has already received the
production warrant, the spokesperson said. On July 26, the
tribunal upon a petition filed by the Chief Prosecutor
issued the warrants of arrest against the four Jamaat
leaders and asked the DMP Commissioner to submit the
execution report of the arrest warrants on August 2.
In light of SC
verdict
Special Committee to identify inconsistency of
constitution
UNB, Dhaka
A maiden meeting of the parliament special committee for
amending the Constitution Thursday gave responsibility to
the Committee's chairman and co-chairman to identify
consistency or inconsistencies of the Constitution in
light of the Supreme Court verdict that scrapped the 5th
amendment.
Chairman Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Co-chairman Suranjit
Sengupta were requested to present their findings before
the next meeting of the special committee on August 8.
The special committee sat in Jatyia Sangsad Bhaban at
about 11 am and the meeting continued till 1:15 pm.
Syeda Sazeda Chowdhury also the Deputy Leader of the House
presided over the meeting. Co-chairman Suranjit Sengupta,
Amir Hossain Amu, Tofael Ahmed, Abdul Matin Khashru,
Rashed Khan Menon and Hasanul Huq Inu attended the
meeting.
After the meeting Sengupta told reporters at the JS media
centre that the special committee meeting took a decision
not to speak out anything to media till the finalization
of the report on amendments of the Constitution.
The meeting also decided that Sengupta will work as
spokesman of the special committee.
On July 21, a 15-member special committee was formed in
parliament to prepare proposals for amending the
Constitution particularly in light with the High Court
verdict that declared illegal the 5th constitutional
amendment.
Cabinet
approves BIF Fund to attract private investment
UNB, Dhaka
The cabinet meeting presided by Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina on Thursday approved the proposal to create
Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund (BIFF) for
attracting private sector investment in big
infrastructural development of the country.
Entrepreneurs who will come forward to invest under the
Public-Private Partnership (PPP} would get financial
assurance after formation of BIFF as a company. It will
expedite the success of PPP.
Hundred percent of BIFF will be owned by the government -
70 percent by the Finance Ministry and the rest by other
ministries, said PM's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad
while briefing the outcome of the cabinet meeting.
At the initial stage the company will have an approved
capital of Tk 10,000 crore and Tk 1600 crore as paid up
capital.
The number of directors of the board will be seven, but
the government may raise the number if needed.
Azad said that India has such a company named India
Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL) since 2006. The
cent percent nationalized company is investing in that
country's long term infrastructural development. Till
March 2009, the company invested in 107 projects involving
188 billion Indian rupees.
The meeting reviewed government measures continuing to
encourage entrepreneurs to invest in power and energy
sector, infrastructure and transport sectors. Under the
structure of the Public Private Partnership (PPP),
different programmes are going on to attract private
investment. It is considered that investment in the
infrastructure sector plays a vital role to attain the
desirable economic growth.
The meeting also approved the draft of the Climate Change
Trust Bill, 2010. Bangladesh will be the most affected
country due to the climate change. Bangladesh is pointed
as the Most Vulnerable Country (MVC) due to the climate
change, Azad said.
He said the government has already allotted Tk 700 crore
each in 2009-10 and 2010-2011 after creating Climate
Change Trust Fund. To conduct the fund properly the
government on August 2009 has approved the Climate Change
Trust Fund Policy.
The cabinet also approved draft of the Administrative
Tribunals (Amendment) Bill, 2010.
None to be
tried by tribunal for political harassment: Shafique
UNB, Dhaka
Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed Thursday assured the
international community including USA and UK that none
will be put on the International War Crimes Tribunal for
political harassment.
"Those who committed crimes against humanity during 1971
liberation war must be tried," he said at discussion on
"Illegal 5th Amendment, Banning Communal Party and War
Crimes Trial" organized by CPB at national press club in
the afternoon.
The Law Minister said question can not be raised against
the trial of those who had violated the human rights
during the country's war of liberation in 1971.
He said present government wants to get rid of the
cultural impunity. "There is no reason to pardon those who
staged genocide, murdered intellectuals and resorted to
various crimes against humanity," he said.
Barrister Shafique said the trial initiative has been
taken to end a culture where offenders will openly move
around before the believers of rule of law, consider those
who were affected due to repression by the offenders and
remove the wounds the nation has been bearing for the last
39 years.
He said the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act of 1973
has been modified to ensure fair and just trial. On the
5th Constitutional amendment, the Law Minister said the
fundamentalism was revived in the country by deleting
Secularism through changing the Constitution by martial
law proclamation. He said militant outfits bearing the
name of religion have gained strength out of the 5th
amendment.
Presided over by CPB president Manzurul Ahsan Khan, the
discussed was addressed by Justice Syed Amirul Islam,
Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon MP, JSD president
Hasanul Huq Inu MP, former army chief Lt Gen (retd)
Harunor Rashid , BSD leader Khalequzzaman, Gano Forum
leader Pankaj Bhattachrya and CPB general secretary
Mujahidul Islam Selim.
Jamaat
activists clash with police, 15 injured
UNB, Dhaka
Over 15 people, including 5 cops were injured in a clash
between police and the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and
its front organizations in the city's Motijheel area on
Thursday.
Witnesses said over one hundred leaders and activists of
Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir brought
out a procession from near the Dainik Bangla crossing at
about 2:30 pm, winding up at Shapla Chattar.
The procession was brought out demanding release of its
detained top leaders and activists as part of scheduled
countrywide demonstrations.
The clash erupted when police tried to detain leaders and
activists of Jamaat from near Shapla Chattar. The
agitators threw brickbats, including fruits, which were
being sold by vendors on the footpath. Police charged
batons to disperse the demonstrators.
Over 15 people, including five policemen were injured in
the clash. When contacted, Duty officer of Motijheel
police station Sub-Inspector Bishsawjit said Motijheel
police outpost in-charge TSI Faruque was among the injured
policemen.
He said five persons were detained suspecting Jamaat
activists from the spot.
HC asks to
dismantle BIWTA’s Recreation Centre in Buriganga
UNB, Dhaka
The High Court Thursday asked the government to dismantle
within a month BIWTA's under-construction Recreation
Centre in the river Buriganga at Kamrangirchar.
An HC division bench headed by Justice AHM Shamsuddin
Chowdhury delivered the judgment upon a Public Interest
Litigation (PIL) writ petition, declaring illegal the
construction works on the Recreation Centre.
Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh HRPB), a rights
watchdog, filed the PIL writ petition.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA)
was constructing the Recreation Centre in the river
despite a standing High Court order in June last year that
had directed the government to remove all illegal
structures from the four rivers including Buriganga around
the capital to stop river encroachment. Advocate Manzill
Murshid appeared for the PIL petitioner.
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