Government distributes Tk5 crore in grants to 583 workers
Grant cheques of Bangladesh Labour Welfare Foundation under the Ministry of Labour and Employment have been distributed among workers today.
The assistance were given to the workers of different factories to cover their medical expenses, financial needs of the families of deceased workers and incur educational costs of the workers' children.
Minister of Labour and Employment Ariful Haque Chowdhury handed over the cheques at a function at Shramo Bhaban here today.
The minister distributed cheques worth about Taka 5 crore among 583 workers.
Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Abdur Rahman Tarafder was in the chair.
Speaking on the occasion Ariful Haque Chowdhury said the financial assistance was distributed among the workers of Dhaka, Gazipur, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Tangail and Narayanganj district.
He noted that this is the largest grant for the workers since the present government assumed office.
Highlighting the government's sincerity regarding the overall welfare of the workers, he said, "Prime Minister Tarique Rahman constantly giving emphasis on workers’ health, productivity and wellness of the workers to ensure overall development of the country.
“Before we took office, many large establishments did not contribute the mandated portion of their profits to the Labour Welfare Foundation. We are now recovering those outstanding funds and delivering them directly to the workers," he said.
Emphasizing on cordial relations between the employers and the workers, the minister said, "If industrial production and revenue grow, we can negotiate with employers to increase workers' wages. There will be no need for street protests for this purpose. However, to achieve this, factories must remain operational and good relations between the employers and the workers must be maintained."
Urging the workers not to fall prey to any provocation, he said, "If there are any irregularities in the factories, report them to the labor inspectors. I request you not to block roads and cause public suffering due to any provocation."
“If the government is informed in advance, preventive measures can be taken, thereby eliminating the need to take to the streets,” he said.
With the cooperation of workers and an increase in factory production, it will be possible to double the grant amount in the future, he said.
Expressing the government's special commitment to ensure education for the workers' children, the Minister said the government would take appropriate measures to ensure that meritorious children are not deprived of higher education due to financial constraints.
The event was moderated by Director of the Labour Welfare Foundation Syed Irtiza Ahsan. Inspector General of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments Farhad Siddique, Director General of the Department of Labour Abdus Samad Al Azad and officials from the ministry and associated departments, were present.
