Essential Services Bill 2023 Placed in Jatiya Sangsad

The Essential Services Bill 2023 has been placed in Jatiya Sangsad integrating the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act-1952 and the Essential Services (Second) Ordinance-1958 to make it more time-befitting.

State Minister for Labour and Employment Munnujan Sufian placed the Bill on Thursday, and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination.

The essential services include power generation and distribution-related activities, posts and telecommunications, railways, passenger and goods transportation through water, road and air ways.

As per law if it is passed by parliament, the government will be able to declare any service essential when it will be necessary. Any ‘illegal’ strike that can affect essential services has made punishable offences in the draft law.  The bill has proposed maximum one year jail and Tk 1 lakh fine for violation of the law.