The government will implement trade unionism in the garments sector from next year to ensure worker rights, Israfil Alam, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the labour and employment ministry, said yesterday.

Pointing to the fact that garment workers can hardly realise demands from their owners in absence of trade unionism, he said consequently the workers frequently vandalise factories.

"Once trade unionism is allowed in the sector, workers will come under legal bindings and enjoy freedom of association and realise their rights through collective bargaining," he told a discussion in Dhaka.

The lawmaker said there should be no excuses for delay in implementing the fresh minimum wage structure for the garment workers within Monday, because all the stakeholders have already agreed upon it.

Germany-based social compliance agency LIFT Standards organised the roundtable on 'Towards effective workers' representation -- the ways of implementation', at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association and the international buyers have some responsibilities in establishing worker rights, Alam told reporters after the roundtable.

"I asked international buyers to follow ethical buying practices in payment for purchasing Bangladeshi garment items."

He said there are 148 registered trade unions and 250 workers' welfare associations in Bangladesh.

Montu Ghosh, an adviser to Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendra, said hundreds and thousands of workers are not able to bargain with owners in absence of unionism.

"Nobody wants to speak in fear of losing their jobs. We are demanding healthy trade unionism. We do not want any political interference.”

Towhidur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Apparel Workers Federation, said the government is bound to allow trade unionism in the industrial units because Bangladesh is a signatory to the Interna-tional Labour Organisation (ILO).

"The workers have freedom of association and collective bargaining. We want free and fair trade unions without political interference."

Stefan Frowein, the outgoing ambassador of the European Union, said the EU has been working with ILO to promote dialogue between owners and workers of the garment units.

The trade unions should be formed with representation from all stakeholders, Frowein said.

The roundtable was chaired by LIFT Standards Managing Director Christian von Mitzlaff and moderated by senior journalist Farid Hossain.