The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has identified five critical changes to address persistent labour unrest in the country’s Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector. The ILO’s Dhaka office issued a statement emphasising the urgent need to reform pay structures, update labour laws, and address numerous worker issues.
The ILO has been closely following incidences of unrest in the garment and other sectors, which are caused by systemic concerns that must be addressed and resolved immediately. The association stressed the value of social interaction between industrial owners, workers, and Government representatives as a fundamental tool for good governance and dispute resolution.
The ILO urged for building an evidence-based and gender-responsive national pay policy to promote fair wages, as well as modifications to the minimum wage system that include consultations with workers and employers.
It encouraged the Government to update Bangladesh’s labour laws to accord with international norms and provide legal rights to all workers, regardless of their employment status in formal, informal, or export processing zones (EPZs).
The ILO suggested that the Government ratify OSH conventions Nos. 155 and 187 and create a comprehensive national OSH framework to foster a safety culture across all sectors.
To facilitate constructive conversations, the ILO emphasised the importance of all stakeholders working together in good faith to find fair and long-term solutions that protect workers’ rights and factories’ economic sustainability.
The backdrop to these ideas involves continuing protests by garment workers, who have been raising 18 demands, including wage hikes and a 10 per cent raise at the year’s end.
Despite the Government’s recent approval of these requests on September 24, labour unrest continues in several factories, resulting in protracted closures. The ILO’s appeal for enhanced industrial relations and social dialogue aims to strengthen both the stability of the RMG sector and the overall economic and social well-being of Bangladesh.
