Bangladesh determined to create labour-friendly environment, Anisul tells ILO

Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq has said the government is determined to create a labour-friendly environment in the country as he addressed the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) 350th session in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday.

“The government is pledge-bound to form a labour-friendly environment in the country and is taking every possible step to build necessary labour relations for the welfare of the labourers,” an official release quoted the minister as saying.

Anisul Huq said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is taking these steps in line with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s dream to build a poverty- and exploitation-free Bangladesh.

He narrated the progress made by Bangladesh in sectors like legal reform, trade union registration, labour-related inspection, and different rights of the labourers in accordance with the government’s roadmap 2021–26.

He also talked about doubling the punishment for unfair treatment towards unions, tripling the punishment for illegally shutting down factories, and quadrupling the punishment for child labour.

Apart from this, the law minister apprised the session of keeping provisions for processing the formation of trade unions in the civil aviation and shipping sectors.

He said there is also a provision for easing trade union management and filing appeals against the labour appeal tribunal’s judgement in the proposed amendment. 

Most of the members of the ILO governing body addressed the session, lauding the important progress of the Bangladesh government in establishing the rights of the labourers, the release said.

They also emphasized quick implementation of the roadmap and maintaining ILO technical assistance with the affiliation of the supervisory body.

Later, the law minister joined a bilateral meeting with ILO Director General Gilbert F Houngbo.

At the meeting, Anisul Huq elaborated on the government's steps to improve the living standards of the working class and requested to continue the ILO's assistance and partnership in this regard.

The ILO director general, as well, praised the government’s goodwill and progress in implementing its steps so far.

He also expressed his desire to visit Bangladesh in 2024, accepting the law minister’s invitation.