Desk Report:
Bangladesh Oil and Workers Federation Secretary General and Jamuna Oil Company Limited (JOCL) Labor Union General Secretary Muhammad Yaqub said that he has full confidence in the decision that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will take on the import of privately refined fuel oil. He said that they have no objection to this if the decision is taken considering the interests of the country, the welfare of the people and the rights of the workers.
He said that the workers also agree with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s policy of ‘Bangladesh first’. Their expectation is that the interests of the country should be given utmost importance in the decision to import refined fuel oil at the private level.
He said these words at a protest march and rally organized to stop the harassment of workers and employees in the energy sector and to realize various demands. The program was held in front of Jamuna Oil Company Limited (JOCL) office ‘Jamuna Bhaban’ in Agrabad, Chittagong city at 12 noon on Monday. Workers and employees of various energy sector organizations including JOCL participated in it.
Muhammad Yaqub said that the country has already been importing crude fuel oil at the private level. Now discussions are underway on importing refined fuel oil. In this regard, while taking any decision, the rights and interests of the workers as well as the overall economy and interests of the people of the country should be given priority.
He said, ‘The honorable Prime Minister said – Bangladesh first. We also want to say, Bangladesh first. We hope that the Prime Minister will take a decision on importing fuel oil at the private level by giving utmost importance to the interests of the country and the welfare of the people. We have full confidence in his decision. We have no objection to this.’
However, expressing concern about the rights of workers in the energy sector, the labor leader said that a sinister group lurking within the government is trying to destabilize this important sector by curtailing the rights of workers.
He alleged that various types of unwanted interference are being used to reduce the existing 22 specific benefits of workers. In addition, there is a delay in making the benefits of workers timely through bilateral agreements. At the same time, he also alleged that instead of keeping the labor law of the energy sector friendly, efforts are being made to make it anti-worker.
Muhammad Ayakub said that the government is talking about ensuring fair benefits for workers and various initiatives are being taken for this purpose. But the opposite picture is visible in the energy sector. Instead of increasing the existing benefits of workers in various institutions under the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), including Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, SAOCL, LPG, etc., efforts are being made to reduce them.
He further said that efforts are being made to obstruct the path of workers and employees in the energy sector to realize their just rights by controlling the labor leaders in various ways. However, the workers and employees want a peaceful environment in this sector. Their demands are very clear – harassment must stop, fair rights must be ensured and a working environment free from unwanted interference must be provided.
‘We want to make it clear that no one will be given the opportunity to create an unstable situation in the energy sector. The workers and employees are not asking for any additional benefits; they only want their fair rights and the facilities they deserve,’ he said.
Reasons for the program
The labor leaders said that after two years, the salaries, allowances and other facilities of the workers and employees of the BPC oil marketing companies are made timely through bilateral agreements. But even though almost 19 months have passed since the last agreement expired, it has not been possible to conclude a new agreement due to the negligence and delay of the companies.
They alleged that the Energy and Mineral Resources Department had taken the initiative to draft the ‘Marginal Benefits Policy-2026’ for the companies under the BPC on June 17. This has created a fear of cutting the existing 22 benefits of the workers and employees.
In addition, the labor leaders also alleged that initiatives are being taken to repeal Sections 209, 210 and 211 related to ‘Industrial Disputes and Industrial Dispute Resolution’ as defined in Section 2(62) of the Bangladesh Labor Act-2006 (Amended). According to them, if these sections are repealed, the scope of CBA leaders who act as representatives to realize the rights of workers and employees will be limited.
On the other hand, an eight-member committee has been formed with the Director (Operations) of BPC as the convener in an office order issued by the Mineral Resources Department on July 26. The leaders said that there has been concern among the workers as they have sought recommendations to monitor the activities of various labor organizations in the oil marketing companies and ensure accountability.
The labor leaders also said that several workers have been working for a long time in various organizations in the energy sector under company-affiliated contractors on a ‘no work, no pay’ basis at low wages. But these experienced workers are not being given priority while recruiting new manpower.
The meeting was presided over by Jamuna Oil Company Labor Union President Abul Hossain and was attended by Padma Oil Workers’ Union President Jasim Uddin, LPG Workers’ Union President Monir Hossain, BPC Workers’ Union Joint General Secretary Kamrul Islam, Padma Oil Workers’ Union Office Secretary Selim Kabir Chowdhury, Jamuna Oil Labor Union Deputy General Secretary Syed Mohammad Mannan, and others.
Incidentally, Bangladesh Oil and Workers Federation is the apex organization of workers and employees in the oil and gas sector. This federation is formed by the CBA organizations of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, Padma Oil Company Limited, Meghna Petroleum Corporation Limited, Jamuna Oil Company Limited, Eastern Refinery Limited, Standard Asiatic Oil Company Limited and LP Gas Limited.
