Govt moves to finalise labour law reforms in line with international standards

The government has initiated a move to incorporate possible recommendations made by Labour Reform Commission into the amendments to the labour law, aiming to bring about long-awaited changes in line with the international standards, sources said.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has already formed a committee to examine which of the suggestions could be included in the amendments though a gazette notification regarding the formation of the committee is yet to be issued, sources involved with the process said.

Officials said there are still disagreements between owners' and workers' representatives over at least half a dozen critical issues, including maternity benefits and leave, trade union registration threshold, and compensation for workplace deaths and injuries.

When asked, Fazlee Shahim Ehsan, executive president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said workers demand six months' maternity leave while existing labour law permits 120 days.

Mr Ehsan, who is engaged with the amendment process representing owners, argued that not all industries and sectors can afford six months of paid leave and suggested that the government should bear the cost of additional two months.

Regarding the trade union registration thresholds, he argued in favour of retaining a requirement of 20 per cent of workers as members, compared to the current threshold of 30 per cent.

Razekuzzaman Ratan, president of Socialist Workers Front, said they are pressing for a nominal figure like 20 workers of a factory instead of a certain per cent of total workers of the unit to qualify for registration.

He said they also proposed bringing changes in compensation provision in line with ILO 121 convention. Currently, the compensation for a workplace death is Tk 0.2 million and maximum compensation for a workplace accident is Tk 0.25 million.

Another source said there is also disagreement over the definition of workers.

In February, the National Tripartite Consultative Council (NTCC) has given its consent to amendment proposals and left the disputed issues for the government to resolve.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the European Union (EU) also made observations on some issues related to freedom of association, trade union registration threshold, and inclusion of outsiders in trade unions and pressed for further amendments in this regard.

Talking to the FE, Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, chairman of the Labour Reform Commission, said they suggested expanding the coverage of the law to ensure equal protection for all workers-whether formal, informal or outsourced.

They also proposed defining workers at a broader aspect, he said, adding that the commission recommended six months of paid maternity leave with government support for factories that may face difficulty in providing the benefit.

The commission also proposed allowing trade union registration with a handful number of workers instead of specific percentage of workers, he said.

The proposals will be forwarded to the Advisory Council in the Cabinet Division for further consultation and approval and then sent to the Legislative Division for formal vetting.

At an event on May 07, Labour Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman said the government intends to amend the labour law by next July.

There has long been pressure from both national and international arena for bringing necessary amendments to the labour law in line with the international standards to ensure labour rights and decent working conditions.

The EU has been pushing for the implementation of the ILO action plan that included reforms in the labour law to sustain its duty-free market access while the US has been suggesting the same to regain its GSP facility which was suspended in 2013 immediately after the Rana Plaza building collapse.

On May 20, The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) in a joint letter to Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus called for tangible progress on key labour rights issues in Bangladesh amid ongoing negotiations with the United States regarding President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs.

To promote harmonious industrial relations and prevent future unrest, they requested the government to quickly conclude tripartite discussions on the Bangladesh Labour Act and align the law with international labour standards.

They also stressed for simplification of the creation and registration of independent trade unions, including a significant reduction in the registration threshold and increasing penalties for unfair labour practices and extending full labour rights to workers in the Export Processing Zones (EPZ).

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