The government recently showcased its ongoing efforts to update and strengthen labour laws and protections across Bangladesh. This marks meaningful progress in aligning the nation’s labour sector with global practices while prioritizing worker welfare and economic resilience. Officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment and high-level government envoys highlighted steps taken across multiple fronts: forming reform committees, improving legal frameworks, enhancing dispute resolution, and strengthening labour inspection systems. A key development has been the formation of the Labour Reform Commission, led by Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed. This commission is tasked with proposing law amendments that align with international labour standards. Its 17-member panel—representing government, employers, and workers—has drafted recommendations on maternity leave, minimum union-registration thresholds, and compensation for workplace injury and fatalities. High-level meetings with international stakeholders have also taken place. During a recent session in Geneva with the International Labour Organization (ILO), Labour Adviser Dr. M. Sakhawat Hussain reported progress on repealing politically motivated cases against union leaders and expanding rights for trade unions to include supervisory and administrative workers. A roadmap has been set to finalize the labour law amendments by July 2025. Underpinning this effort is a strong commitment to strengthening labour market enforcement. Labour inspections are now conducted more frequently and often unannounced, improving oversight. To enhance enforcement abilities, there will be an increase in the number of inspector roles. Further, the government is enhancing dispute-resolution mechanisms to reduce backlogs in labour courts and make resolution more efficient. This reflects a broader push toward improving labour governance under a national consensus model—bringing together workers, employers, and government through tripartite committees. The government’s efforts also tie into international trade considerations. Western diplomats have highlighted that strong labour reforms are necessary for maintaining access to global markets such as the EU and US. They have praised the “dramatic” progress over the past eight months and encouraged rapid finalization of legal amendments. Beyond legislative updates, a €24.7 million “Advancing Decent Work in Bangladesh” project—funded by the EU, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada—has been launched to support the reform agenda with funding and implementation support. In sum, the government’s coordinated steps—forming reform bodies, involving tripartite dialogue, improving inspection and dispute systems, aligning with ILO standards, and mobilizing international support—demonstrate concrete momentum to improve conditions for workers across sectors.
