The government is planning to provide adequate financial support for the children of motor mechanics and transport workers so that they can easily complete their higher education.
Though the existing labour welfare foundation law has a provision of providing maximum Tk20,000, it’s inadequate for completing the higher education.
The labour ministry has already taken a move to amend the law, keeping the provision of providing assistance for the meritorious children of transport workers as much as they need.
Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that the government would take the responsibility for the meritorious children of transport workers for their higher education. Though the government is giving support for education up to higher secondary level, the government has yet to launch any programme on higher education.
“We will insert a provision in the labour welfare foundation law to give financial support for the meritorious students from the workers’ family. The students will get financial support until they complete their higher education. But, it would be given only after their admission for higher education such as medical or engineering education,” he added.
“Under the existing rules, the ministry can provide Tk20,000 at a time from the welfare foundation fund. It’s inadequate for higher education. It should be increased if the government wants to extend support,” he added.
He, however, said the ministry had given Tk100,000 to all the victims as assistance after the Rana Plaza building collapse. It was given without amending the provision. “We will have to amend the rules soon. It will be done, keeping all the issues in mind.”
Earlier, the government had launched the group insurance scheme for the motor mechanics and transport workers after group insurance for the construction workers.
Around 1,000 motor mechanics and transport workers would be covered by the group insurance scheme which took effect from April, 2014 as per the Labour Welfare Foundation Act, 2006.
A tripartite agreement between the government, Motor Workers Federation and Jibon Bima Corporation, a state-owned insurance company, was signed at the conference room of the labour ministry yesterday.
Labour Welfare Foundation’s Chairman Faizur Rahman and Motor Workers Federation’s President Mahbubur Rahman Ismail and General Secretary Anwar Hossain signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.
State Minister for Labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar and Managing Director of Jibon Bima Corporation Porikkhit Dutt Chowdhury were also present at the signing ceremony.
According to the agreement, the family members of the insured workers will get Tk200,000 for accidental deaths during the period of insurance. But, the insured workers will get only 50% of the premium after completion of the agreement.
The annual premium of the group insurance would be Tk1,300 per head. Of the premium, the Labour Welfare Foundation would provide Tk850 while Tk450 would be paid by the workers.
