The parliamentary committee on Industry, Commerce and Consumer Welfare Protection on Tuesday approved the newbill on Special Economic Zone (Sez) with a provision that prohibits workers from holding all forms of protests that could affect the production of the factories in the zone. 

“No matter what the prevailing law states, the factory workers of Sez will not be allowed to carry out any sorts of banda, protest or revolt that could inflict financial losses on the production businesses,” states the bill. The provision was earlier removed from the bill due to political pressure. The bill, in the revised form, also talks about providing Sez workers with better salary and other benefits than that of those outside.

Chandika Prasad Bhatta, executive director of Sez Development Committee, said such provisions could discourage workers from launching protests that affect the entire business. “This could draw more firms to operate their business through Sez,” he said.

The committee has also provisioned for including a representative from workers in the complaints hearing mechanism, according to Bhatta. “It is expected to resolve the labour issues,” he said. 

Similarly, the new bill has empowered the Sez authority to let the factories to produce only those products that are listed by the government. The government has identified 17 types of firms as being eligible to operate in Sez. Following the approval of the bill, the factories that produce tobacco products and alcoholic beverages will not be permitted to operate their businesses inside Sez.

The new bill has extended grant period for the factories in Sez to additional 15 days if they missed out on the 35-day deadline to renew their business.

“As per the clause, the factories operating their business for 30 years can renew the land lease in the next 15 days by paying the additional charges,” said Bhatta. 

 Bhairahawa Sez, the country’s first Sez, is now in the process of hiring the interested firms to operate their business there. Sez has leased out 48 out of its 69 plots so far.

Earlier, the entrepreneurs were reluctant to move their industries into Sez, citing high rental charges and labour issues, among others.