PM stresses for cordial relation between owners, workers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday laid emphasis on the necessity of having a cordial relation between the owners and workers to keep running the production in the factories alongside expediting the export in this competitive world.

“I always would request our owners and workers to maintain a good and cordial relation among yourself,” she said.

The Premier said this while addressing the Green Factory Award-2020 distribution and inauguration ceremony of eight newly constructed infrastructures including Working Women Hostel at Osmani Memorial Auditorium, joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.

She said the owners will have to keep in mind that the workers keep their factories in operation with their labour and thus make the ways of their (owners’) earnings.

At the same time, she said, the workers will have to keep in mind that since there are factories, they can earn from the factories and lead their families.

“You have to take care of the factory that provides you food and livelihood,” she told the labourers.

Noting that some outsiders –they may be worker leaders or vested quarters- are sometimes seen trying to create an unstable environment in the factories, Sheikh Hasina said it is essential to keep measures for uninterrupted production in the factories and unremitting export in this competitive world.

She continued “If an unstable environment is created, it will halt export, hamper the work environment and thus you will lose work as well. Then you’ll have to suffer from the curse of unemployment. So, the workers will have to play a responsible role here keeping it in their mind.”

With State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian, MP in the chair, Secretary of the ministry Ehsan-E-Elahi delivered the welcome address.

Later, on behalf of the Prime Minister, the state minister handed over the Green Factory Award-2020 among 30 recipients. Each organization/factory received a crest, medal, certificate and a cheque of Taka one lakh.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has introduced the "Green Factory Award, 2020" aimed at building Bangabandhu's ''Sonar Bangla'' and encouraging the local industrial institutions for competitive participation in the global arena alongside setting up green factories.

The 30 firms from six sectors have been selected considering some criteria such as essential compliance, environmental compliance, institutional compliance and innovative activities.

The factories are 15 from the garment sector while three from the food processing sector and four from the tea industry sector, two from the leather industry sector, three from the plastic sector and three from the pharmaceutical industry sector.

At the function, the Prime Minister also opened the ministry’s eight newly constructed structures, including a women (working) hostel.

The eight new structures are working women hostel with 5-bed hospital facilities and labour welfare centre at Bandar in Narayanganj; six-storey Shilpa Samparka Shikhayatan Bhaban in Chattogram; five-storied regional labour office in Narayanganj; three-storied labour welfare centre and regional labour office in Bogura, three-storied labour welfare centre in Gaibandha; three-storied labour welfare centre at Mongla in Bagerhat; four-storied labour welfare centre at Rupsha in Khulna and labour welfare complex at Ghagray in Rangamati.