Govt signs three key ILO conventions to strengthen worker protection

The interim government today (22 October) signed three important conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), marking what Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus described as "a historic day in the country's struggle for labour rights."

The conventions, aimed at ensuring safety, dignity, and fairness in workplaces, were signed at the State Guest House Jamuna in the presence of the chief adviser. 

Brigadier General (retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain, adviser to the ministries of labour and employment and shipping, signed the ratification papers on behalf of the government.

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The conventions are the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No 155); the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No 187); and the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No 190).

Among these, conventions 155 and 187 are classified as fundamental ILO conventions – a status granted by the ILO in 2022. 

By ratifying these, Bangladesh has become the only South Asian country to have ratified all 10 fundamental ILO conventions.

Also present at the signing were the chief adviser's special envoy for international affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, principal secretary Md Mahmudul Hossain Khan, labour secretary Dr Md Sanowar Jahan Bhuiyan, and the newly appointed ILO Country Director Max Tuñón, among others.

Earlier in the day, Max Tuñón presented his credentials to Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with the government and social partners to promote decent work, social justice, and sustainable investment opportunities in the country.

After the signing, Chief Adviser Yunus, recalling the Rana Plaza tragedy of 2013, said, "After Rana Plaza, the then government agreed to many reforms, but very little was actually done. It was always 'it's happening, it will happen'. We said – no more promises. We will do it."

He added that after taking office as chief adviser, his first priority was labour rights. "We held repeated meetings and emphasised that this must be done. Signing these conventions benefits everyone," Yunus said.

Adviser Sakhawat said, "This is a significant day for the interim government. It was a major challenge, but through everyone's hard work and the chief adviser's constant guidance, we have achieved success."

ILO Country Director Tuñón congratulated the interim government on signing the conventions and pledged the organisation's continued cooperation in implementing them.

He said the ILO would continue assisting the government in reforming labour laws and urged political parties contesting the upcoming February elections to reach a consensus on adopting a national labour charter.

During his meeting with Adviser Touhid, Tuñón also stressed the importance of inclusive economic growth that creates quality jobs.

"The urgency of the decent work agenda in Bangladesh is evident," Tuñón said. "With two million young men and women entering the labour market each year, we must work together to ensure that economic growth is inclusive and generates jobs with dignity."

Before his posting in Dhaka, Tuñón served as head of the ILO Office in Doha, where he supported a comprehensive labour reform agenda in Qatar. 

He previously worked as a technical specialist overseeing programmes on wages, labour inspection, and occupational safety and health, according to a press release.