Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) has alleged that the labour welfare programme of the British American Tobacco (BAT) is nothing but cheating. The tobacco company is violating labour law by not paying workers’ wages.
In a press statement issued on Monday signed by BATA’s office secretary Syeda Anonna Rahman, the alliance said that the workers working in the factories of BAT have been living a subhuman life for several years. Movement is currently going on at factories in Dhaka and Savar. Last year, such a movement was forged in BAT’s factory in Kushtia. However, from January to June 2024, BATB has made a record amount of profit (Tk. 21 thousand 230 crore) by selling cigarettes and tobacco products. After deducting related expenses and taxes, the company’s total profit stood at Tk 950 crore, the highest in the last 13 years.
It may be noted that BAT provides grants to the Labour Welfare Fund of the government every year. However, they are legally obliged to do so as per the Labour Act, 2006. This matter they promote in various ways in the name of social responsibility which creates a positive perception about them in the public mind. Basically it is a ploy to confuse the policymakers. The company also spreads media coverage such as giving money to the Labor Welfare Fund and being the largest tax payer.
The BATA statement further says, the ongoing BAT worker unrest in the last few days proves that the company’s worker welfare and social responsibility programmes are completely misguided.
BATA called upon the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) to look into these issues seriously. “In addition, the authorities concerned should follow the principles of Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of WHO regarding all communications with tobacco companies. The public and media should not be misled by such fraudulent activities of tobacco companies including BAT,” says the statement.
