ILO decision on action against non-observance of core conventions deferred

International Labour Organisation (ILO) has deferred its decision about taking further action against Bangladesh's non-observance of three core conventions until next March, sources said.

It also pressed for the timely implementation of all its priority areas of the national action plan on the labour sector.

Taking note on the political changes which led to an interim government in Bangladesh and the report on progress made with the implementation of the road map of actions to address all outstanding issues mentioned in the article 26 complaint concerning the alleged non-observance of Conventions Nos 81, 87 and 98, the ILO’s government body requested taking all necessary action to that effect, according to its draft decision.

Bangladesh has also been requested to report further progress made in the implementation of the road map of actions in that regard to the GB at its 356th Session scheduled to take place in March next year in Geneva.

"... deferred the decision on further action in respect of the complaint to that session,” read the draft decision.

The draft decisions came after the ILO GB's 355th session held from November 17 to 27 in Geneva, sources said.

Bangladesh provided a progress report on the implementation of the national action plan (2021-2026) with key priorities including labour law reform, trade union registration, labour inspection and enforcement, child labour elimination and combating violence and discrimination on October 17 this year.

In a recent development, Bangladesh has ratified all 10 fundamental conventions, with ratifying two core ones recently.

Several workers' organisations from Italy, Japan, South Africa, Pakistan and Brazil filed the complaint under Article 26 with the ILO in 2019 regarding Bangladesh's non-compliance with three core conventions -- Convention 81 on labour inspection, Convention 87 on freedom of association and the right to organise, and Convention 98 on the right to organise and collective bargaining.

The complainants also proposed forming a commission of enquiry to investigate Bangladesh's non-observance of these fundamental conventions.

Meanwhile, the ambassador and head of the EU delegation to Bangladesh, Michael Miller, at a recent programme said that as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from least developed country status, it can benefit from the GSP+ scheme, which provides preferential market access but links trade benefits to the implementation of international standards on labour rights, environmental protection, human rights and good governance.

Talking over the national action plan on the labour sector, he stressed further implementation of the NAP, noting that some areas have yet to progress, including amendments to the EPZ labour act, the elimination of child labour, and strengthening social dialogue.

Talking to the FE, ministry sources said the government issued an ordinance of the amended labour act on November 17 with a number of reforms, including easing trade union registration by allowing 20 workers to register for a trade union while also permitting five unions in a factory.

Significant changes also apply to maternity protection, workplace health, hygiene and occupational safety.

Though core entitlements such as 120 days of maternity leave, the ordinance prohibits assigning pregnant or lactating workers to hazardous tasks involving toxic chemicals, radiation, extreme heat, whole-body vibration, heavy manual work and certain infectious risks, they added.

Employers must now reassign such workers to safer duties without loss of pay, conduct medical assessments where necessary, and maintain proper records.

The upgraded law also prohibits the blacklisting of workers by any factory or establishment, meaning an employer can't prepare a list or database of workers ineligible for e-employment after termination of employment due to retrenchment, discharge, dismissal, removal, retirement or any other reason, they said.

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