Bangladesh has gained strong global recognition in the labour sector after carrying out major reforms over the past year, Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (Rtd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain said today. He credited the progress to close cooperation between workers, employers and the government.
He said the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025—gazetted on 17 November—brought several landmark changes. These include giving domestic and agricultural workers the right to form organisations, extending maternity leave to 120 days, banning worker blacklisting, reducing the minimum number of members needed to form a union to 20, and creating a mandatory future fund.
Other steps include launching the Unemployed Workers Protection Programme (UWPP) Policy 2025 and declaring Customs Service an essential service.
Annual wage growth in the garment sector has been raised from 5% to 9%. Minimum wages have been adjusted in seven sectors, and work is underway to revise wages in 21 more.
The adviser said Tk 575 crore has been given as loan support to 31,669 Beximco workers and officials, Tk 31.67 crore to 17,134 NASA Group employees, and Tk 80 crore from the Central Fund and Workers Welfare Foundation to nearly 23,000 workers and families. In addition, Tk 1.57 crore was provided to 1,755 unemployed workers with EU support, and Tk 1.04 crore to 81 people under the Employment Injury Scheme. Interpol Red Alerts are also being pursued against employers who fled abroad without paying dues.
In labour rights and safety, 347 new trade unions were registered, 44 political cases involving 48,000 workers were withdrawn, 3,453 children were removed from labour, 11,691 inspections were carried out, and 16 cases were filed for violations. Garment factories have set up 347 daycare centres, while Tk 32.65 crore in maternity benefits went to 1,270 women.
Bangladesh’s global standing improved after ratifying ILO Conventions 155 and 187. The country was also elected coordinator of 45 Asia-Pacific nations and signed an MoU with South Korea on employment injury insurance.
Institutional developments include launching the National Occupational Health and Safety, Research and Training Institute (NOSHTRI) in Rajshahi, opening a new labour court in Mymensingh—which has already settled 13,013 cases—and progress towards forming a new Department of Employment. The government also collected Tk 9 crore from renewing over 44,000 licences, while 435 job seekers found employment through job fairs.
Dr Sakhawat said these achievements show strong unity among all sides and will help build a safer, more modern labour sector that supports long-term economic growth.
