Cases against 48,000 withdrawn as govt upholds labour rights

Cases against 48,000 workers have been withdrawn, which were previously filed by factory owners, said Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain on Thursday.

Speaking at a forum on labour rights, he highlighted the government's efforts to reform labour laws and implement stricter measures to improve workers' conditions in Bangladesh.

The government has also recognised three major demands related to workers' health, protection from harassment, and safety, he said.

The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) organised the discussion on 'Democratic Reconstruction of Labour Rights' at the CIRDAP (Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific) Auditorium in Dhaka. CGS President Zillur Rahman moderated the event.

The adviser said employers could no longer blacklist workers arbitrarily. If someone needs to be blacklisted, the employer must report it to the labour ministry in advance, he added.

However, it will take time for factories and industries to meet the required standards for workers' condition, he said, adding: "Our biggest challenge is determining how to bring informal sector workers under the policy framework."

He also said the government has taken action against many unscrupulous employers, confiscated their passports, and seized their property-a move that 'no previous government could have taken, as ministers in the past were often factory owners'.

Syed Nasim Manzur, President of the Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh, said there have been remarkable improvements in sectors that are highly monitored, but small and medium enterprises, which are not under such scrutiny, continue to lag behind.

He pointed out that medium-sized factories contribute the most, but they receive limited support from banks.

To address inflation, the government has increased interest rates but this is not a complete solution as to run business with 13 per cent interest rates is difficult, he said.

Emphasising the need for a shift in mindset, he said that there is no need to create new laws, "We simply need to enforce the existing ones."

At present, Bangladesh has 2.6 million unemployed people, many of whom are graduates, while factories struggle to find educated workers, as many are employed elsewhere for even lower wages, he opined.

Dr. Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), noted that Bangladesh's economy is deeply connected to the global economy. To remain competitive, the country must adhere to international standards, enhance its export competitiveness, and ensure labour rights are protected.

"The progress we make is quickly outpaced by other countries. In terms of global competition, there are challenges such as rising US tariffs and domestic limitations in raw materials and services," she noted.

Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies’ Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed stressed the need for establishing democratic system in institutional way so that workers can exercise their rights, including trade union and collective bargaining.

He called for national minimum wage standards, job security and social recognition for workers.

Participants at the forum also raised the need for creating a workers database, formalising workers from the informal sector, and ensuring their inclusion in the purview of labour laws. They further called for easier trade union registration and better functionality for unions.

Executive Director of Awaj Foundation Nazma Akter, General Secretary of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Shramik Front (BSD) Razekuzzaman Ratan, President of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Shramik Dal Anwar Hossain, General Secretary of Bangladesh Sramik Kalyan Federation Advocate Atiqur Rahman, Vice President at Bangladesh Garment Workers Trade Union Centre (GWTUC) Joly Talukder, Chief Coordinator of National Citizen's Party Workers' Wing Mazharul Islam Fakir, among others, also spoke.

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