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.