Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqi, today held a high-level meeting with top western diplomats to review the past eight months progress on labour reforms and outline the government's roadmap ahead.
Ambassadors and high commissioners USA, UK, Canada, European Union and ILO attended the meeting held at Chief Adviser\u2019s Office (CAO) in Tejgaon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Technical experts and labour rights specialists were with the special envoy when he for the first time delivered full summary of the government\u2019s reform efforts since the July 2024.
\u201cOver the past eight months, we\u2019ve made dramatic progress,\u201d Lutfey said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe ILO roadmap is not just a guide- it\u2019s a commitment. We\u2019re investing time, energy and goodwill to get this right both in terms of process and outcome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He commended the personal engagement and moral authority of Labour Adviser Dr Sakhawat Hossain who spent hours with tripartite stakeholders to bring them along.
Labour Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman said, \u201cWe are targeting July 2025 for conclusion of Labour law amendments and other substantial milestones. The process is moving fast.\u201d
European Union Ambassador Michael Miller called the process \u201cunprecedented,\u201d saying, \u201cWe note that there\u2019s been a lot of social dialogue and we appreciate the sense of urgency.\u201d
\u201cWe look forward to seeing the draft legislation soon and track tangible improvements on the ground. Resolution of this has implications for continued access to EU markets,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
US Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires Tracey Ann Jacobson said, \u201cWe welcome the momentum under the current government and would also like to see accountability for past violations.\u201d
Canadian High Commissioner Ajit Singh added, \u201cWe appreciate the work done so far and support the ILO roadmap. This is particularly important for Bangladesh in the context of LDC graduation.\u201d
British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke said, \u201cBangladesh\u2019s LDC graduation must be backed by strong labour standards. She appreciated the seriousness with which the interim government of Bangladesh has approached this issue.\u201d
ILO Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen remarked, \u201cWe\u2019re very close to shaping the updated Bangladesh Labour Act. What matters now is doing this in a way that stands the test of time and protects workers in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Legislative Secretary Dr Hafiz Ahmed Chowdhury said substantial progress has been made on the issue as a team is working closely with stakeholders.
Lutfey also briefed the diplomats on earlier inter-ministerial meetings to address politically motivated cases during the previous regime, better dispute resolution mechanisms to avert logjam in courts, and the issue of insufficient capacity in inspector roles.
\u201cThis is not just a domestic issue,\u201d Lutfey said. \u201cLabour rights are now tied to market access, global trade decisions, including the tariff agenda of President Trump. We must act accordingly.\u201d
Diplomats agreed that labour reform and accountability must remain a priority across all political contexts. Several reaffirmed their countries\u2019 commitment to supporting Bangladesh\u2019s transition.
\u201cThe July uprising provides a unique opportunity for the Bangladesh government to do the right thing,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are grateful for the support from everyone as we approach the final stretch towards closing the case at the ILO governing board,\u201d Lutfey said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqi, today held a high-level meeting with top western diplomats to review the past eight months progress on labour reforms and outline the government's roadmap ahead. Ambassadors and high commissioners USA, UK, Canada, European Union and ILO attended the meeting held at Chief Adviser\u2019s Office (CAO) in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":28451,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,93],"tags":[47],"class_list":["post-28450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bangladesh","category-nationwide","tag-47"],"yoast_head":"\n