Labour Act to be amended to allow trade unions with 15% workers’ consent: Law minister | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Monday
June 16, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2025
Labour Act to be amended to allow trade unions with 15% workers’ consent: Law minister

Bangladesh

TBS Report
30 April, 2024, 06:50 pm
Last modified: 30 April, 2024, 09:18 pm

Related News

  • BNP gears up for polls — preps ongoing from grassroots to top brass 
  • Govt issues urgent guidelines to educational institutes to curb Covid, dengue spread
  • Bandarban tourist deaths: 'Tour Expert' admin Borsha Islam gets bail
  • Activists urge direct elections for reserved seats to strengthen women’s political empowerment
  • BGMEA, Textilepages.com partner to enhance digital presence of Bangladeshi garment exporters

Labour Act to be amended to allow trade unions with 15% workers’ consent: Law minister

Until the amended law is passed in the parliament, the government will hear out the recommendations of stakeholders or the international organisations that talk about labour rights, the minister told journalists today.

TBS Report
30 April, 2024, 06:50 pm
Last modified: 30 April, 2024, 09:18 pm
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq. File Photo: Collected
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq. File Photo: Collected

The government has decided to amend the Labour Act with the inclusion of a provision to form trade unions in factories with consent from 15% of workers, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said on the eve of International Labour Day.

Until the amended law is passed in parliament, the government will hear out the recommendations of stakeholders or the international organisations that talk about labour rights, the minister told journalists during a press conference at the ministry's conference room today, following a meeting with a delegation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

"We will see if there is any difference between the labour rights that are protected in our country in line with the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the advice of the stakeholders," added Anisul.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Speaking about labour rights violation, he said if employers violate workers' rights, the penalty could be increased to Tk25,000 according to the law.

The minister noted that initially, the penalty for such violations was Tk5,000, but it has now been raised to Tk20,000, with a possibility of further increase.

"However, neither amount is deemed sufficient as a deterrent for employers inclined to exploit workers," he noted.

Anisul further stated that any decision to increase penalties will involve discussions with all stakeholders, including employers, workers, and other stakeholders.

Speaking about the ILO delegation's recommendations, the law minister said, "One of their suggestions is to lower the threshold [the rate at which workers agree to form a trade union]. We had earlier brought down this threshold from 20% to 15%. But it is supposed to apply only to factories with 3,000 or more workers.

"Now, this 15% threshold will be kept for all factories. That means they can form a trade union only if 15% of the workers agree."

Top News

labour law / Bangladesh / Trade union

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • BNP gears up for polls — preps ongoing from grassroots to top brass 
    BNP gears up for polls — preps ongoing from grassroots to top brass 
  • Non-performing loans surge by Tk74,570cr in Q1 as hidden rot exposed
    Non-performing loans surge by Tk74,570cr in Q1 as hidden rot exposed
  • Representational image of school children. File photo: Collected
    Govt issues urgent guidelines to educational institutes to curb Covid, dengue spread

MOST VIEWED

  • Vehicles were seen stuck on the Dhaka-Tangail-Jamuna Bridge highway due to a traffic jam stretching 15 kilometres on 14 June 2025. Photo: TBS
    15km traffic jam on Dhaka-Tangail-Jamuna Bridge highway as post-Eid rush continues
  • Tour operator Borsha Islam. Photo: Collected
    ‘Tour Expert’ admin Borsha Islam arrested over Bandarban tourist deaths
  • Infographic: TBS
    Chattogram Port proposes 70%-100% tariff hike
  • Fighter jet. Photo: AFP
    3 F-35 fighter jets downed, two Israeli pilots in custody, claims Iranian media
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Merger of 5 Islamic banks at final stage: BB governor
  • Infograph: TBS
    Why 10 economic zones, including BGMEA's garment park, were cancelled

Related News

  • BNP gears up for polls — preps ongoing from grassroots to top brass 
  • Govt issues urgent guidelines to educational institutes to curb Covid, dengue spread
  • Bandarban tourist deaths: 'Tour Expert' admin Borsha Islam gets bail
  • Activists urge direct elections for reserved seats to strengthen women’s political empowerment
  • BGMEA, Textilepages.com partner to enhance digital presence of Bangladeshi garment exporters

Features

Renowned authors Imdadul Haque Milon, Mohit Kamal, and poet–children’s writer Rashed Rouf seen at Current Book Centre, alongside the store's proprietor, Shahin. Photo: Collected

From ‘Screen and Culture’ to ‘Current Book House’: Chattogram’s oldest surviving bookstore

7h | Panorama
Photos: Collected

Kurtis that make a great office wear

2d | Mode
Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Photo: Junayet Rashel

Where feathers meet fortune: How a small pigeon stall became Dhaka’s premiere bird market

4d | Panorama
Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS

Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon

5d | Features

More Videos from TBS

Macron to visit Greenland after Trump's annexation threat

Macron to visit Greenland after Trump's annexation threat

3h | TBS World
Important facilities including Natanz damaged in Israeli attack

Important facilities including Natanz damaged in Israeli attack

3h | Others
Iran's gas production from South Pars halted after Israeli attack

Iran's gas production from South Pars halted after Israeli attack

4h | TBS World
Why the Strait of Hormuz is a key point of discussion in the Iran-Israel conflict

Why the Strait of Hormuz is a key point of discussion in the Iran-Israel conflict

4h | Others
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net