Definitive Report - Report No 204, November 1980

Case No 955 (Bangladesh) - Complaint date: 02-APR-80 - Closed

1. 49. The complaint of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) is contained in a communication dated 2 April 1980. The Government sent its observations in a letter dated 23 May 1980.
2. 50. Bangladesh has ratified both the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. Allegations of the complainant

1. 51. The complainant states that the secretary of the Kendra trade union, Mr. Manzurul Ahsan Khan, and several public service employees on strike in Bangladesh have been arrested. It requests the Government to respect trade union rights and release all arrested trade unionists.

B. The Government's reply

1. 52. In its letter of 23 May 1980, the Government states that Mr. Manzurul Ahsan Khan was taken into custody by the law-enforcing authorities on political grounds and not for trade union activities. He has since been released from detention. The Government points out that the Bangladesh trade union Kendra is represented in the National Tripartite Consultative Committee. It states that the arrested members of the Government Employees' Association have already been released after a settlement was arrived at and they called off the strike.

C. Conclusions of the Committee

1. 53. This case concerns the alleged arrest of a trade union official and members of a public service union. Having few facts at its disposal, the Committee must firstly note the differing reasons given by the complainant and the Government for the arrest of Mr. Manzurul Ahsan Khan, the former inferring that he was detained for his trade union activities, the latter stating that it was on political grounds. The Committee also notes that Mr. Khan has been released, along with the members of the Government Employees' Association whose dispute, which had led to a strike, has now, according to the Government, been settled.
2. 54. Nevertheless, the Committee would like to recall the principle that measures of preventive detention may involve a serious interference with trade anion activities and emphasise the right of all detained persons to receive a fair trial at the earliest possible moment.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 55. Under these circumstances, the Committee would recommend the Governing body to draw the attention of the Government to the principle set out in the preceding paragraph regarding the possible interference with trade union activities by measures of preventive detention and, noting that Mr. Manzurul Ahsan Khan and the other public service union members have been released, to decide that this case does not call for further examination.