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Introduce OMS of food at factories

Suggests Akbar AH Khan

Staff Correspondent
The government should immediately start open market sale (OMS) of foodstuff for factory workers and ensure affordable food for people of low-income group, said Regulatory Reform Commission (RRC) Chairman Akbar Ali Khan.
The former adviser to caretaker government said since rationing system would take some time to introduce, the government should immediately begin OMS at facto-nes to mitigate the effects of price hike of essentials on them.
Speaking at a roundtable titled Poverty Elimination and Social Security of Labour, .Akbar said the government should fix the minimum wage for workers at Tk 3,000. which is now Tk 1,650, so that they have the capacity to buy food in the current situation.
Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) arranged the
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roundtable at CIRDAP auditorium in the capital yesterday.
He said the government should increase its own stock, then supply those to the local market and expand safety-net measures like vulnerable group feeding (VGF) and food for work programmes for people of low-income group.
"The government has to take these initiatives right now, as the pre-harvest period is the most crucial time of the year and measures should be implemented quickly," he said.
Mentioning the government plan to increase salaries of government staff, he said it should think about the entire nation, not just its staff.
He said there is no alternative to increasing local agricultural production to lessen the food crisis.
"The government should have a long-term policy to meet food crisis and to make the entire situation sustainable, the country needs democracy," Akbar said.
Mahfuzul Haque, acting secretary of Ministry of Labour and
Employment, said the government is seriously thinking about implementing several safety-net measures for people of limited- and low-income groups as soon as possible.
Mahfuz said the government Sunday formed a high-powered committee led by the chief adviser to help mitigate the effects of soaring food prices.
The measures include expanding OMS, VGF, and more intensive food import. The committee will also look into long-term solutions since the high price of food is likely to continue.
Wajedul Islam Khan, acting secretary' general of BILS, said the government should secure a living wage, appointment letters and health care for labours to ensure a healthy industrial environment.
Tarikuzzaman, regional coordinator of BATU Saarc, a sub-regional partner of Brotherhood of Asian Trade Unions and Abdul Hye Mandan, senior research fellow of Bangladesh Development Research Organisation, were also present.