Labour Secretary Abdur Rahman Tarafdar has come under scrutiny over the suspension of a legal officer of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) and the transfer of the head of its Kushtia office. According to an investigation by Ekattor, DIFE Legal Officer Masum Billah was suspended after speaking on Facebook about the rights of outsourced workers. Separately, Farhad Wahab, head of the DIFE office in Kushtia, was transferred after an investigation report reportedly raised questions about the use of outsourced workers in permanent positions at British American Tobacco (BAT).
On September 1, Masum Billah spoke on Facebook about the rights of outsourced workers and various initiatives by the current government aimed at protecting their rights and reducing discrimination.
In his remarks, he said, “We can build a Bangladesh free from discrimination and based on equal dignity, in line with the Constitution and the spirit of the Liberation War.”
Five days later, on September 6, Billah was suspended on allegations of misconduct, and a departmental case was filed against him by the Labour Secretary.
Supreme Court lawyer Zafrul Hasan Sharif questioned the action, saying that identifying violations or loopholes in the law and bringing them to the authorities’ attention is part of a legal officer’s responsibility.
The government subsequently amended its outsourcing policy for government institutions on September 21.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the matter should be examined to determine whether there had been an abuse of authority and whether any particular group had benefited from the decision.
The controversy does not end there.
An investigation committee of the DIFE Kushtia office reportedly found that British American Tobacco had been using outsourced workers in permanent positions for years. According to the report, the practice may be inconsistent with provisions of labour law.
The investigation report was sent to Dhaka. Soon afterwards, Farhad Wahab, head of the DIFE Kushtia office, was transferred.
Babul Akhtar, General Secretary of the Industrial Workers’ Federation, alleged that Wahab should have remained in Kushtia so that legal action could be pursued against BAT based on the findings of the investigation.
The report also raises questions about whether the Labour Secretary provided the Labour Minister with complete information regarding the case against Masum Billah.
Labour Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said he needed more information about the allegations and the actions taken by his department before reaching a conclusion.
Meanwhile, workers employed by contracting companies MSM Logistics and ISSL reportedly work as field technicians and are involved in activities ranging from tobacco cultivation to processing through BAT’s registered tobacco growers.
The workers have also reportedly protested against the use of temporary or outsourced workers in permanent positions.
Critics allege that their concerns were not adequately addressed and that the interests of the contracting companies and BAT were instead given priority.
The allegations have raised broader questions about the enforcement of labour laws, the treatment of outsourced workers and the exercise of administrative authority within the labour sector.
PTC : Sushanta K Singha, Ekattor Television, Dhaka
