Bangladesh
Essential Services Bill Govt getting power to ban strikes in hospitals and transport
Dhaka, April 7: The government can ban strikes in essential services like hospitals and transport if deemed necessary in the public interest. A bill in this regard was raised in the national parliament on Thursday (April 6). The government is going to make a new law by repealing the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act of 1958 and the Essential Services (Second) Ordinance of 1958.
In the special session of the National Parliament on Thursday, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment Munnujan Sufian raised a bill in this regard. The bill is named as 'Essential Services Bill-2023'. The Bill has been sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Labour and Employment to scrutinize and report to Parliament within the next 30 days.
The bill states that the government can prohibit strikes in the case of any essential service if it deems it necessary in the public interest. Any person who starts or continues an illegal strike shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to Tk 50,000 or with both.
In addition, if the government deems it necessary, in public interest, lockout (full or partial closure or suspension of work by an owner) and layoff (failure of the owner to engage in work due to shortage of raw materials or stockpiling or failure of equipment) can be declared prohibited in any establishment.
