News

The Supreme Court in Bangladesh has ruled in favour of the registration of City Bank Karmachari Parisad (City Bank Employees Union) on 9th March 2014, disqualifying City Bank Bangladesh writ to quash the registration of the union.

Employees from City Bank Bangladesh had formed a union and registered with the Registrar of Trade Onions on 21 January 2013 but faced opposition from their employer.

Justice Md. Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice J.B.M. Hasan heard the case on 6 March 2014 and had delivered the Judgement on 9 March 2014. The judges considered that the petitioner bank City Bank Bangladesh’s writ petition is not maintainable under the provision of Article 102 of the Constitution of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has ratified ILO convention 87 and 98 thus recognizing Freedom of Association and right to collective bargaining organized in to trade unions. Global unions are working hard to bring in a new industrial relations culture to secure trade union rights and safe working conditions under the stewardship of the ILO following the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh. Trade unions are to play a key role in the Rana Plaza coordinating committee. UNI Apro is pleased to note the positive responses of the Bangladesh judiciary recognizing trade unions as responsible partners in social progress.

UNI Apro Finance has launched a campaign to organize employees in private banks in Bangladesh under the SASK Finland’s South-South Cooperation Project. FIEUN Nepal has successfully organized the private banks and insurance companies in Nepal; FIEUN is collaborating with BKF Bangladesh sharing their experiences with their counterparts in Bangladesh.  

During a meeting with Mr Ahmed Jamal, Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank (Central Bank), the UNI Apro Director for Finance Sector solicited the support of the bank to organize employees in private banks to increase financial inclusions through  educating the bank employees  about risk conscious and customer focused banking services in Bangladesh.