Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain today said that recognizing everyone’s contributions to the society can make it easier to resolve many social problems.
“If we can sincerely embrace and use the word ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ in the society, then it will become more beautiful and inclusive,” he said.
The minister made the remarks while addressing the 10th biennial conference of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) auditorium here as the chief guest.
BILS founder and Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan delivered the welcome address at the event where Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin and Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas were present as special guests.
The minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is working relentlessly to build an inclusive Bangladesh where people from all sections of the society and all professions are being given the highest priority.
“Every person living in the society is a worker in one way or another. The only difference is in the nature and field of their work,” he said.
He said the government is implementing a nationwide Family Card distribution programme as part of its commitment to ensure social security and welfare for marginalized workers as well as disadvantaged and destitute people.
Speaking as a special guest, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said fair wages are neither an act of charity nor merely a matter of demand; rather, it’s a legitimate right and entitlement of workers.
He said the government, elected with the spontaneous trust of 75 million working people, is committed to ensuring their overall welfare.
Emphasizing the importance of sustainable industries and a fair working environment, Mahdi Amin stressed the need for mutual trust among the workers, employers and the government, along with regular tripartite dialogue.
Speakers at the conference called for necessary reforms to labour laws for ensuring legal recognition, institutional registration and social protection for all workers.
They also demanded the determination of fair wages that would enable workers to live with dignity and support their personal development.
They further called for equal rights for everyone in the workplace, safe and healthy working conditions and effective measures to completely eliminate child labour at any cost.
Among those present as special guests are Labour and Employment Secretary Abdur Rahman Tarfadar, ILO Bangladesh Country Director Max Tuot, Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands Janna van der Linden, representatives of the development partners and civil society and leaders of the labour movement.
At the conclusion of the programme, the chief guest inaugurated the Bir Muktijoddha Nazrul Islam Khan Library and BILS Information Centre.
