Bangladesh
Strike Jail-fine for calling a strike in the transport-fuel sector
Dhaka, October 31: The cabinet has given final approval to the Essential Services Act 2022, which provides for a maximum jail term of one year for illegally calling or supporting strikes in the essential services sector. As a result, strike or hartal can no longer be called at will in any case where public life is disrupted. The draft law was given final approval in a Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office on Monday (October 31). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.
The Cabinet gave in-principle approval to the draft act on 4 October 2021. The draft will now go to Parliament for final approval. It will then be issued by the government in the form of a gazette.
Cabinet Secretary Khandkar Anwarul Islam gave this information to the reporters at the briefing held at the Secretariat after the meeting.
He said, "The Act has 14 sections. Section 4 states what the government will declare as essential services. Section 5 states the power of employees in certain jobs not to leave certain areas, another section prohibits strikes, lockdowns or layoffs. Talk. Many times there are lay-offs or knock-outs in industrial establishments. The government can ban them if it feels they are not justified."
"Services which the government deems to be essential services can be declared. Some of the services are mentioned here. Such as post and telecommunication, information technology, e-commerce, electronic and digital services. The government cannot stop these services whenever it wants to."
Khandaker Anwarul Islam said, "Secondly, digital financial services such as mobile financial services, power generation, supply, marketing and added gas and coal. These are essential services. If there is any deadlock in these matters, the government can intervene in this case. State welfare shall be administered as the Government directs."
He said, "Passenger or goods services by land, water, rail and air will also be known as essential services. Clearance of goods by land, sea, river or airport, any establishment under the management of armed forces or related services. Apart from this, any service deemed important by the government, can be declared as essential services."
