Private health sector employees demand Tk20,000 minimum wage
They also call for a fair-priced rationing system to alleviate financial pressures
Speakers at a meeting today (26 October) called for a structured rationing system and a Tk20,000 minimum monthly wage for private health sector employees.
Organised by the Private Health Institution Employees' Union at a local community centre in Chattogram city, the event was chaired by the union's President Abdur Rahim. It was also addressed by chief guest Tapan Dutta, president of Bangladesh Trade Union Center, Chattogram.
Tapan emphasised the need for a fair-priced rationing system to alleviate financial pressures on healthcare workers in the private sector.
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He also called for the implementation of a Tk20,000 minimum wage, aligning with current market demands, and urged employers to implement the labour law by providing appointment letters, identity cards, and paid leave.
At the meeting, speakers also raised concerns regarding workplace harassment, specifically allegations of sexual harassment within private hospitals and clinics. They pointed out that such actions violate International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190, Article 332 of the Labor Code, and Regulation 361(a).
To counter these violations, they demanded the immediate formation of sexual harassment prevention committees in all private hospitals, as required by labour laws.
Iftekhar Kamal Khan, the joint secretary of the Bangladesh Trade Union Center's Chittagong district branch; Fazlul Kabir Mintu, central organiser of the Bangladesh Trade Union Center; General Secretary Md Mizan, Vice President Biplab Dash, and Women Affairs Secretary Aduri Kana also attended the meeting.
The meeting concluded with the distribution of identity cards to new members, marking a step towards unifying the workforce in their pursuit of improved conditions and protections within the private health sector.
