Labour Minister seeks greater ILO support to accelerate reforms, create jobs

Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Sunday sought enhanced technical and institutional support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) to accelerate labour-sector reforms, create new employment opportunities and ensure compliance with international labour standards.

The call came during a bilateral meeting with ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo at the adviser’s office at the Secretariat.

Welcoming the ILO chief, Ariful Haque Chowdhury said the government remained fully committed to protecting workers’ rights and ensuring safe and decent working conditions across all sectors.

He said labour-sector reform was an ongoing process and noted that Bangladesh had taken a historic step by enacting the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act, 2026, which, he said, had significantly advanced the country’s compliance with international labour standards.

The adviser also said Bangladesh had become the first country in Asia to ratify all 10 fundamental ILO conventions, describing it as a milestone that had strengthened the country’s global image in the labour sector.

Highlighting the government’s ongoing initiatives, he said work was progressing on amending the Bangladesh Labour Rules, 2015, establishing a tripartite National Social Dialogue Forum, introducing an independent alternative dispute-resolution mechanism and launching a digital case-management system.

He also said the government was moving to nationalise the Employment Injury Scheme as part of an integrated social-protection framework for workers in both the formal and informal sectors.

To expand employment opportunities at home and abroad, the minister said the government was establishing a new Department of Employment under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The proposed department would introduce employment exchanges at the district and upazila levels to facilitate self-employment and technical-skills training.

The government was also working to send workers to Malaysia and other destinations through transparent processes and at lower costs, he added.