Labour ordinance to be enacted soon: Mahdi Amin
The next session on the case will be held in March next year
The Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 passed by the interim government will be enacted by the government and will be placed before the parliament soon, Prime Minister's Adviser on Labour, Employment, and Education Mahdi Amin said today (31 March).
During discussions on Bangladesh at the 356th Governing Body session of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Mahdi also informed the session that a parliamentary special committee had been formed to enact the ordinance 2025 and assured that the government would expedite the process.
He stressed that the government is positively disposed toward amendments developed through tripartite discussions, which will enable inclusive, sustainable, and employment-driven development.
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The newly-formed government of Bangladesh has received congratulations and full support from 47 countries at the session.
The countries expressed their commitment to work in cooperation with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's government, which assumed office with a public mandate through a free, fair and credible election, according to a message.
The discussion also addressed a case filed in June 2019 under Article 26 of the ILO Constitution by five worker representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation, accusing the then government of failing to comply with Conventions 81, 87, and 98.
In response, the previous government submitted a five-year labour sector reform roadmap to the ILO Governing Body in 2021.
Progress on the roadmap has been reviewed in eight Governing Body sessions over the past five years, and the current government today presented the ninth progress report.
Representatives from all participating countries voiced their support for the current government.
Of the 56-member Governing Body, 19 member states, 28 countries from two regional groups, and employers' representatives praised the new government's strong commitment to legal and administrative reforms in the labour sector and urged the rapid settlement of the ongoing case.
Bangladesh's delegation included Minister of Labour, Employment, and Expatriates' Welfare Ariful Haque Chowdhury. Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to Geneva Nahida Sobhan and Secretary of Labour Abdur Rahman Tarafdar were also present.
At the outset of the discussion, Mahdi Amin conveyed warm greetings from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to all Governing Body members and highlighted the Prime Minister's personal commitment to labour rights, worker protection, and social justice.
He noted that the Bangladeshi people had given the government a strong electoral mandate emphasising citizens' rights, human rights, rule of law, freedom of speech, broad-based employment creation, quality education, skills development, and merit-based growth.
The adviser said these priorities align with the ILO's Decent Work Agenda.
Reaffirming Tarique Rahman's firm commitment to institutionalising democracy, strengthening democratic values, and ensuring workers' rights, the adviser sought continued support from the ILO and other stakeholders.
After the discussions, it was unanimously decided that the next session on the case will be held in March next year.
