Four of Bangladesh’s leading trade bodies have raised strong objections to key provisions of the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, warning that the changes could raise operating costs, discourage new investment and threaten job creation across the textile and apparel value chain.
The Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) have jointly agreed to seek a review of three amended provisos in the ordinance. Industry leaders have indicated that legal action may follow if the government does not respond to their concerns.
As a first step, the associations plan to formally approach the interim administration to request the removal or revision of the disputed provisions. Should those efforts fail, they intend to challenge the amendments through a writ petition in the High Court.
According to industry sources, the proposed challenge focuses on several clauses of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 as amended by the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, which was gazetted on 17 November 2025. The sections under scrutiny reportedly include 2(65), 27(4), 175, 179(1)(ta) and 179(2).
The associations argue that the amended provisions infringe fundamental rights, including equality before the law, protection of life and liberty, freedom of profession and the right to property.
Barrister Kazi Akhter Hossain said the organisations had already appointed legal counsel and that preparations were under way to contest the ordinance.
Rezwan Selim, vice-president of BGMEA, said several issues agreed during discussions at the Tripartite Committee were excluded from the final ordinance, describing this as an unhealthy approach to upholding agreements between the government and industry.
BTMA president Showkat Aziz Russell said the amendments appeared to be based on labour standards typical of advanced economies, without adequate consideration of Bangladesh’s current industrial realities. He added that the changes were introduced in a rushed manner at a time when job creation should have been a critical policy priority.
Mr Russell also claimed that around 50 textile mills and approximately 250 garment factories have already shut down, with individual investments ranging between Tk 5 billion and Tk 7 billion. He warned that ongoing policy uncertainty is further deterring new investment and raised concerns that recent decisions could accelerate a shift of textile and garment manufacturing capacity to India.
BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem said the industry felt “somewhat betrayed” after reviewing the final version of the ordinance following meetings with the Tripartite Committee. He stated that calls for safeguards in three key areas were ignored, despite the industry having agreed to compromises on several other points.
Industry leaders said they remain open to dialogue with the authorities but cautioned that failure to address their concerns could result in a court battle with far-reaching implications for Bangladesh’s largest export-earning sector.
