Lutfur Rahman (Uzzal)

The Bandarban Shailashova Road Transport and Labor Union has submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister demanding the withdrawal of the Essential Services Bill 2023 proposed in the Parliament to ban the strike.The transcript was released on Tuesday (June 13) through Deputy Commissioner of Bandarban Yasmin Parvin Tibriji. Shailashova road transport and labor union president And former upazila chairman Abdul Kuddus,general secretary Amal Das,office secretary Md.Salauddin and other leaders of various levels of the union were present.The memorandum states that if the Essential Services Bill 2023 becomes law, it will become a tool to protect employers and intimidate and punish workers.It provides that the government can prohibit strikes in the case of essential services if it deems it necessary in the public interest. Also,if a person starts or continues an illegal strike,he will be punished with a maximum of 6 months imprisonment or a fine of 50 thousand taka or both.However,The Road Transport Workers Union termed this bill as a step to take away the democratic rights of the workers.The leaders also said that taking away this last right to protest meant extending the right to unfettered oppression of workers.