The government is accelerating a series of labour reforms aimed at strengthening enforcement mechanisms and improving working conditions across industries, Labour Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain has said.
In a press statement, Hussain noted that work is under way to build a stronger legal and administrative framework designed to prevent the repeated filing of cases against workers and introduce tougher penalties for labour-related offences.
He said recruitment for labour inspectors is being expedited to ensure stronger monitoring of compliance across factories and industrial establishments.
Hussain made the remarks during a meeting in Dhaka on Wednesday with officials from several foreign embassies and representatives from the International Labour Organization (ILO) Dhaka office.
As part of the reforms, seven new labour courts are being established, and an online case-management system is being introduced to speed up dispute resolution and enhance transparency, he said.
He stated that the government is also advancing towards full digitalisation of the labour sector, including the creation of an integrated workers’ database.
Hussain said the recently approved amendment ordinance to the Labour Act 2006 would soon be published in the gazette, paving the way for a more decent and rights-based working environment for Bangladesh’s labour force.
He added that trade union registration processes would be simplified further, while the introduction of alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms would help strengthen occupational health, workplace safety and decent working conditions for workers.
Hussain also confirmed that Bangladesh has ratified three significant ILO conventions. The instruments of ratification were signed on 20th October in the presence of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and would soon be submitted to the ILO Director-General.
He described the ratification as a major milestone for the interim government, noting that with the adoption of Conventions 155 and 187, Bangladesh has now ratified all 10 fundamental ILO conventions.
