Chevron Clinical Lab sued in Chattogram for violating Labour Act

Highlights:

• Chevron Clinical Lab's violation of Labour Act:
• Not all workers in the laboratory were given appointment letters
• The laboratory does not have a
• Safety committee
• Children's room
• Participation fund
• Welfare fund
• There is no proof of
• The Chattogram Development Authority's approval for the building where the lab is situated
• Regularly checking or maintaining the elevator at the laboratory as per regulations.
• Wiring at the building having been done by any licensed person or organisation.

The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) has filed a case against a large diagnostic center in Chattogram, Chevron Clinical Laboratory (Pte) Ltd, for violating six sections of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006.

Earlier, DIFE issued two notices to the Chevron Clinical Laboratory for not complying with the Labour Act, but the organisation did not respond to those notices. Consequently, DIFE Labour Inspector (General) Biswajit Sharma filed a case against Chevron Clinical Laboratory with the First Labour Court in Chattogram on 22 August.

According to the case statement, Biswajit Sharma visited Chevron Clinical Laboratory on 25 March and found that not all workers in the laboratory were given appointment letters as required by labour law. There are 530 employees working in the laboratory in Panchlaish police station and Nizam Road area in Chattogram city.

There was no safety committee at the laboratory. It also did not have a children's room as per the rules. Nor had the organisation set up a participation fund and welfare fund as per labour law.

Furthermore DIFE could not find any documentation proving the Chattogram Development Authority's approval for the building where the lab is situated.

They, DIFE, also did not find any proof of regularly maintenance or checking of the elevator at the laboratory as required by law. They also did not find any certification that proves the  building wiring was done by any licensed person or organisation.

Chevron Clinical Laboratory Chairman, Prof Dr A Quadery, Director Bidyut Kanti Biswas, and General Manager Pulak Parial, have been made defendants in the case. The First Labour Court has set 23 September as the next date for the case.

Labour Inspector Biswajit Sharma told The Business Standard, "During a visit to Chevron Lab on 25 March, I found evidence they were violating six sections of the labor law. A notice asking them to rectify the problems was issued on 28 March, but the Chevron authorities did not respond."

"Later another notice giving them five more working days was issued on 3 May, but the Chevron authorities did not respond to that either. Therefore, the DIFE has filed a case with the Chattogram First Labor Court," he said.

Pulak Parial, general manager of Chevron Clinical Lab, said, "We have not received the two notices [purportedly] issued by the DIFE. Moreover, they came to visit during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time many workers could not provide them with proper documents as they were infected with Covid-19. Since a case has been filed with the Labour Court, the matter will be decided in court."