The fundamental rights of workers have not been ensured even in 55 years – Advocate Atiqur Rahman
Towhid Hossain Sarkar:
Advocate Atiqur Rahman, central president of the Bangladesh Workers’ Welfare Federation, said, “The fundamental rights of workers have not been ensured even in 55 years. Workers sacrificed their lives by joining the students in the July Uprising to achieve their rights. This movement took the form of a mass movement against discrimination among people of all classes and professions in the country.”
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the Naval Workers’ Rally organized by the Naval Sector.
On Monday morning, July 27, at the Photo Journalists Association in the capital, on the occasion of the second anniversary of the July Uprising, the sector president and central general secretary of the Bangladesh Workers’ Welfare Federation, Laskar Md. Taslim, chaired the program, demanding the implementation of the July Charter and the recommendations of the Labor Reform Commission, decent wages for naval workers, issuance of appointment letters and an end to extortion on the waterways. The program was also addressed by Central Trade Union Secretary Sohel Rana Mithu, Central General Secretary of the Naval Sector Mashiur Rahman,
Dhaka Metropolitan South Deputy General Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, Federal Central Publicity Secretary Hafizur Rahman,
Dhaka Metropolitan South Naval Sector President Ashraful Alam Iqbal,
The chief guest said that More than three hundred workers have been martyred in this movement and their full list will be officially published at the National Press Club soon. Advocate Atiqur Rahman said that for a long time Working people are victims of various forms of discrimination. Although there is an expectation that workers in the new Bangladesh will get fair wages, social status, security and state recognition, in reality, that expectation has not been fulfilled. He also commented that there has been an initiative to implement the recommendations of the Labor Reform Commission, but there has been no visible progress in implementing them.
The chief guest further said that even after 55 years of independence, fair wages, wage boards, appointment letters, identity cards, job rules, provident funds, rationing system, medical treatment and social security have not been ensured for most workers. He alleged that in many cases, despite the development of labor leaders, the fate of ordinary workers has not changed. For this, he demanded that the labor leadership also be held accountable.
He further said that the issue of improving the rights and living standards of working people does not receive sufficient importance in the country’s politics and media. As much as there are political talk shows and discussions, there is not as much discussion about the problems and solutions of workers. He called for the fair demands of workers to be highlighted more seriously in the media.
Calling on the government, he said that the recommendations of the Labor Reform Commission must be implemented quickly to build a worker-friendly state by keeping in mind the spirit of July. He demanded that effective steps be taken to form a wage board for naval workers, issue appointment letters, job rules, identity cards, sailors’ welfare fund, provident fund, ensure security, and stop extortion and robbery on waterways.
He said that opportunities for forming trade unions must be ensured in all institutions and existing obstacles to establishing the democratic rights of workers must be removed. He also announced that if necessary, workers from all sectors will unite and organize a movement on the streets to establish the just rights of workers.
Calling for no delay in the implementation of the July Charter and labor reforms, Advocate Atiqur Rahman said that the government must take effective initiatives to establish the just rights of workers and build a discrimination-free Bangladesh. Otherwise, the working masses will be forced to take to the streets to realize their just demands through democratic programs.
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