Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

1. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report, including the reference made to the adoption of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006.

2. Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention. The Committee notes the information that efforts are still under way to develop regulations not only for the Chittagong but also for the Mongla port. It also notes the information that the managerial and operational activities in the Chittagong port were improving, inter alia, through a process of privatization and that the container-handling capacity of the port had increased following the establishment of a new mooring container operation terminal. The Committee hopes that the draft regulations referred to by the Government will be approved and come into effect soon and asks the Government to send to the ILO copies of these regulations as soon as they are published.

3. With reference to its previous comments as regards the port of Chalna and other ports for inland navigation, the Committee notes the Government’s continued intention to take the necessary measures in respect of heavy packages and objects for navigation within the territory. The Committee reiterates its hope that the Government will examine the possibility of extending the scope of application of the abovementioned regulations to the port of Chalna and other ports of inland navigation in order to ensure the full application of the provisions of the Convention.

4. With regard to the question of possible difficulties encountered in the application of the Convention in relation to modern methods of cargo handling, with particular reference to containers, the Committee requests the Government to refer to the general observation that it is making on the Convention at the present session.