TBT DESK: The current government, led by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, seeks to establish stakeholder participation in labour and other sectoral reforms to ensure sustainable changes, said Labour and Employment Adviser M Sakhawat Hossain.
He said this on Monday at the 353rd Governing Body session of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, regarding Bangladesh's labour sector reforms.
This information was provided in a press release from Bangladesh's Permanent Mission in Geneva.
Amid ongoing allegations against Bangladesh at the ILO, the adviser presented a progress report on labour sector improvements. This marked the second discussion under the current government, following a previous report in November.
Sakhawat said, "The current government has cancelled most of the politically motivated cases filed against workers and trade union leaders. Additionally, it has ensured the representation of genuine workers and employers in tripartite committees through democratic processes."
The adviser also said, "Discussions are ongoing with stakeholders regarding the amendment of EPZ labour laws for export processing zones. After the amendment of Bangladesh's labour laws, the government will take necessary steps based on the analysis of the differences between the existing EPZ labour laws and the amended Bangladesh labour laws."
Representatives from Bangladesh's development partners welcomed the ongoing government initiatives to reform the labor sector and assured cooperation in implementing these measures.
During the session, no member of the Governing Body called for an investigation into the allegations against Bangladesh.
Based on the discussions, collaborative initiatives have been undertaken, and the next review of the case was moved up to March next year instead of November 2025.
The adviser praised the continued international cooperation for the current government's actions. He also referred to the visit of the United Nations secretary-general in this context.
Additionally, the labour adviser welcomed any delegation, including the ILO's tripartite team, to observe the ongoing reforms in the labour sector. In his closing remarks, he sought international support for the swift resolution of the ongoing case.