Geneva: Labour, Employment and Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain emphasized the government’s commitment to establishing social justice at various levels while participating in the 355th governing body session of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr Hossain briefed the governing body members on recent amendments to Bangladesh’s labour law. He highlighted that domestic workers, farm labourers, and employees of non-profit organisations are now included under the updated act. Furthermore, the government has lowered the required number of workers for registering a trade union to 20, from the previous 20 percent threshold.
Several measures have been implemented to simplify trade union registration, including the relaxation of mandatory personal information requirements, the removal of blacklisting provisions, and adjustments to information submission rules. Dr Hossain also noted that the amended law includes penalties and preventive measures for workplace violence, harassment, and child labour, along with prohibiting discriminatory behaviour. The law now mandates a minimum wage review every three years instead of every five.
Dr Hossain pointed out that Bangladesh has ratified ILO Conventions 155, 187, and 190, thus endorsing all fundamental ILO conventions. He also mentioned that all cases filed against labour leaders and trade union workers have been withdrawn in the past year.
The adviser announced that Bangladesh will host the Asia-Pacific Social Justice Forum in Dhaka next March, with participation from regional countries. During his visit, he held a bilateral meeting with Pakistan’s Human Resources Management and Overseas Employment Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, discussing cooperation on skill development and mutual interests. Labour Secretary Dr M Sanowar Jahan Bhuiyan and Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Nahida Sobhan were also in attendance.