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AmCham in Bangladesh organizes seminar on “Minimum Wages” |
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December 15, 2000
Dhaka-- (UNB) – Speakers at a seminar here yesterday were divided in opinion on the question of determining a structure of national minimum wages or flexible wages. Labour leaders dominated participants advocating determining national minimum wages while employers preferred a flexible wage policy. American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Bangladesh organised the seminar on “Minimum Wages in Bangladesh” at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel with its president Forest E Cookson in the chair. Bangladesh Employers’ Federation President ASM Quasem, executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies Nazrul Islam Khan, CPD executive director Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya and Nurul Islam of Bangladesh Trade Union Centre addressed the function. ASM Quasem advocated for a flexible wage policy as against centrally controlled minimum wage policy as the minimum wages do not benefit the larger section of labour force. He said minimum wages tend to inhibit employment creation, acts as a disincentive for workers to acquire and develop skill and attracting investment. Such fixation is also difficult to enforce and creates scope for corruption and distortion and does not link with productivity, affecting external and internal competitiveness. “We should direct all our efforts to develop a new wage system that is flexible and discard centrally controlled wages structure influenced by political considerations,” said the employers’ leader. Trade union leader Nurul Islam stressed the need for national minimum wages to bring harmony in the relationship between the two groups. Attitude of employers towards employees is not up to the level of expectation that cause mutual mistrust, he said. “We ask for national minimum wages because there is no law, there is no humanity,” he told the seminar. |