Cabinet okays draft of labour law increasing compensation

Senior Reporter:  The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Labour Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018 with increasing compensation.

The approval was given at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, said Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam.

In the draft bill, for unnatural death a worker’s family will get Tk two lakh which was Tk one lakh earlier and for permanent disability, a worker will get Tk 2 lakh and 50 thousand which was earlier Tk one lakh and 25 thousand.

The draft bill has been prepared and updated following the observation of the International Labour Organization (ILO). “The amended law will be a labour-friendly one,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

According to the proposed law, anybody who will appoint child labourers will be fined Tk 5,000.

Children aged 14-18 are allowed to do only light chores as per the draft. Currently, the minimum age for light labour is 12.


risingbd/Dhaka/Sept 3, 2018/Noimuddin/Mukul